Upper extremity nerve transfers for acute flaccid myelitis: a systematic literature review.

BACKGROUND: Acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) is a rare disease that commonly affects young children. AFM's pathophysiology involves loss of lower motor neurons following a viral infection and induces acute asymmetric flaccid paralysis most commonly in the upper extremities. Nerve transfers have emerged as a treatment option for these patients with permanent motor deficits. OBJECTIVE: To summarize the literature and report safety and efficacy outcomes following nerve transfers for recovery of shoulder abduction and external rotation, and elbow flexion and extension in pediatric patients with AFM. Recovery of at least antigravity function was defined as a successful outcome. This systematic review was performed according to the PRISMA guidelines. The PubMed, Embase and Cochrane databases were utilized. RESULTS: Five studies comprising 44 patients (median age 2.95 years; 71% male), and 93 upper extremity nerve transfers were included. Thirty-eight patients received 65 nerve transfer procedures aiming for recovery of shoulder abduction and/or external rotation with a transfer to the axillary and/or suprascapular nerve. The recovery of shoulder abduction and external rotation was achieved in 40.7% (n = 11/27) and 60% (n = 6/10) of patients, respectively. Time from injury to surgery showed an inverse relationship with the odds for successful recovery (OR: 0.81; 95% CI: 0.64-1.02; p = 0.07); however, statistical significance was not reached. Successful recovery of elbow flexion with a transfer to the musculocutaneous was reported at a rate of 92.3% (n = 12/13). Successful re-innervation of the radial nerve with recovery of elbow extension was found in 75% (n = 6/8) of patients. No complications were reported. CONCLUSIONS: Upper extremity nerve transfers appear to be promising and safe for AFM patients. Shoulder abduction is the most challenging upper extremity function to recover. Further studies are warranted to identify whether nerve transfers are associated with superior outcomes when performed earlier.

The Novel Small Molecule Inhibitor, OSU-T315, Suppresses Vestibular Schwannoma and Meningioma Growth by Inhibiting PDK2 Function in the AKT Pathway Activation.

Activation of PKB/AKT signaling, which requires PDK1 and PDK2 function, drives Vestibular Schwannoma (VS) and meningioma growth. PDK2 function is defined as a molecule that phosphorylates AKT-Ser473. Integrin-Linked Kinase (ILK) functions as PDK2 in PKB/AKT activation in many cancers; therefore, we hypothesized that OSU-T315, a small molecule ILK inhibitor, will inhibit the ILK-PDK2 function in PKB/AKT signaling activation in VS and meningioma cell growth. OSU-T315 decreased cell viability at IC50 < 2µM in VS (HEI193) and meningioma (Ben-Men-1) cell lines, in primary cells at < 3.5µM, while in normal primary Schwann cells at 7.1µM. OSU-T315 inhibits AKT signaling by decreasing phosphorylation at AKT-Ser473, AKT-Thr308, ILK-Ser246 and ILK-Thr173. In addition, OSU-T315 affected the phosphorylation or expression levels of AKT downstream proliferation effectors as well as autophagy markers. Flow cytometry shows that OSU-T315 increased the percentage of cells arrested at G2/M for both, HEI193 (39.99%) and Ben-Men-1 (26.96%) cells, compared to controls (21.54%, 8.47%). Two hours of OSU-T315 treatment increased cell death in both cell lines (34.3%, 9.1%) versus untreated (12.1%, 8.1%). Though longer exposure increased cell death in Ben-Men-1, TUNEL assays showed that OSU-T315 does not induce apoptosis. OSU-T315 was primarily cytotoxic for HEI193 and Ben-Men-1 inducing a dysregulated autophagy. Our studies suggest that OSU-T315 has translational potential as a chemotherapeutic agent against VS and meningioma.

Simultaneous determination of hydroquinone and catechol at gold nanoparticles mesoporous silica modified carbon paste electrode.

A new electrochemical sensor based on gold nanoparticles mesoporous silica modified carbon paste electrode (AuNPs-MPS) was developed for simultaneous determination of hydroquinone and catechol. Morphology and structure of the AuNPs-MPS were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The electrochemical behavior of hydroquinone and catechol were investigated using square wave voltammetry and the results indicate that the electrochemical responses are improved significantly at the modified electrode. The observed oxidative peaks separation of about 120mV made possible the simultaneous determination of hydroquinone and catechol in their binary-mixture. Under the optimized condition, a linear dynamic range of 10.0µM-1.0mM range for hydroquinone with the detection limit of 1.2µM and from 30.0µM-1.0mM for catechol with the detection limit of 1.1µM were obtained. The applicability of the method was demonstrated by the recovery studies of hydroquinone and catechol in spiked tap water samples.

In vitro anti-HIV-1 activities of kaempferol and kaempferol-7-O-glucoside isolated from Securigera securidaca.

Previously, we reported that the kaempferol and kaempferol-7-O-glucoside isolated from Securigera securidaca showed potent anti-HSV activity. In the present study the anti-HIV-1 activities of kaempferol and kaempferol-7-O-glucoside are investigated at different concentrations (100, 50, 25 and 10 µg/ml) using HIV-1 p24 Antigen kit. Real-time Polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay was also used for quantification of full range of virus load observed in treated and untreated cells. According to the results of RT- PCR, tested compounds at a concentration of 100 µg/ml exerted potent inhibitory effect. Time of drug addition experiments demonstrated that these compounds exerted their inhibitory effects on the early stage of HIV infection. The results also showed potent anti-HIV-1 reverse transcriptase activity. Antiviral activity of kaempferol-7-O-glucoside was more pronounced than that of kaempferol. These findings demonstrate that kaempferol-7-O-glucoside could be considered as a new potential drug candidate for the treatment of HIV infection which requires further assessments.

In vitro evaluation of cytotoxic activity of flower, leaf, stem and root extracts of five Artemisia species.

The present study was carried out to investigate cytotoxic activity of flower, leaf, stem and root extracts of five Artemisia species against breast cancer cell line (MCF7) and human embryonic kidney normal cell line (HEK293). The studied Artemisia species were A. absinthium, A. vulgaris, A. incana, A. fragrans and A. spicigera. The cytotoxic activity was measured by MTT assay at different concentrations (62.5, 125, 250, 500 µg/ml). Among these five species, methanol extracts of flower, leaf, stem and root of A. absinthium and A. vulgaris exhibited considerable cytotoxic activity. The flower extracts of these two species were found to have higher cytotoxic effect on MCF7 cell with an IC50 value of 221.5 and >500 µg/ml, respectively. Leaf methanol extract of A. incana also showed cytotoxic activity. Cytotoxic activity of different extracts of A. absinthium, A. vulgaris and A. incana against MCF7 was 10%-40% more than HEK293 cells. Not only the extracts of A. spicigera and A. fragrans did not show any cytotoxic effect against both cell lines, but also increased the number of cells. This study revealed that A. absinthium and A. vulgaris may have a great potential to explore new anticancer drugs.

Baseline concentrations of strontium and 90Sr in seawater from the northern Gulf.

Baseline concentration of strontium and Sr-90 in Gulf is presented. The strontium concentration is much higher than reported for other oceanic waters, while the Sr-90 concentration is low at 0.7-1.0 mBq l(-1), that represents the background level following nuclear tests and can be used as an effective tracer in case of any radioactive release in the region. The strontium concentration is primarily related to the increasing salinity off the Gulf coast.

Hypothermic machine perfusion of kidney grafts: which pressure is preferred?

To assess the effect of the perfusion pressure (PP) during machine perfusion (MP) on the preservation quality of kidney grafts, we compared mean PPs of 25 and 30 mmHg using a porcine autotransplantation model. After assessment of the microcirculation, animals underwent left nephrectomy. Thereafter, kidneys were washed out followed by 20 h of MP at 25 mmHg (MP25, n = 7) or 30 mmHg (MP30, n = 7) using a novel MP system for hypothermic pulsatile perfusion. After MP preservation, the contralateral kidneys were removed and the preserved kidneys heterotopically autotransplanted. Ten minutes after reperfusion, the microcirculation was reassessed. Seven days posttransplant, animals were euthanized and the kidney grafts removed for histological analysis. MP using a mean PP of 25 mmHg resulted in higher capillary blood flow after reperfusion. In the MP30 group, 6 out of 7 animals survived, whereas in the MP25 group all animals survived. Overall, improvement in recovery of renal function and a better preservation of structural integrity were seen in the MP25 group compared to the MP30 group. Using a novel system for hypothermic MP, a mean PP of 25 mmHg is preferred over a mean PP of 30 mmHg.

Transjugular extension of meningioma into the mediastinum-a case report.

A case of a tentorial meningioma with atypical histological features invading the transverse sinus and extending along the internal jugular vein up to the superior mediastinum is described. This report illustrates one of the many ways meningiomas spread beyond the cranial cavity and the difficulty in managing such a problem.

Infantile cystinosis.

Ten patients of nephropathic cystinosis were admitted during the period 1995-2000. Their mean age was 12 months. The signs of failure to thrive and advanced rickets were seen in all patients. Other features included polyuria, polydipsia, pathologic fractures and deafness. Laboratory findings included glucosuria, hyposthenuria, hypocalcemia, proteinuria and azotemia. Therapy with phosphocysteamine showed marked clinical improvement.

Rapid and simple method for determination of cholesterol in processed food.

An improved method for determination of cholesterol in processed food with only one extraction and without solvent removal was developed. Total time to analyze a sample including gas chromatographic (GC) analysis is 45 min. Food samples spiked with internal standard are hydrolyzed in a screw-capped vial with saturated methanolic KOH. Cyclohexane is added to the mixture, and the upper layer is analyzed by GC on a capillary column. Average recoveries of spiked white eggs are 99 +/- 0.5%. Fifteen types of processed food containing shrimp, fish, meat, cheese, eggs, and vegetables were analyzed with this method and with the AOAC method.

Pineal toxoplasmosis mimicking pineal tumor in an AIDS patient.

A pineal mass in a patient with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is reported. Computed tomography (CT) scan revealed a nodular mass in the pineal region with foci of calcification and obstruction of the aqueduct mimicking a pineal tumor. At autopsy, the brain revealed a well-circumscribed lesion with central necrosis in the pineal region suggestive of toxoplasma and involving the periaqueductal area. Susceptibility of a patient with AIDS to opportunistic infections should be considered.

Maxillary first premolars with three root canals: case report.

Awareness of normal and abnormal variation of the internal anatomy of the teeth is essential for clinical success. Three cases in which maxillary premolars were found to have three roots and the subsequent endodontic therapy are described.

Epidural angiolipoma with spinal cord compression.

A case of epidural angiolipoma is reported. This tumor rarely occurs in the spinal canal. The most common location is in the thoracic region, and its histogenesis is probably congenital.

Ectopic gastric duplication cyst in an infant.

A case of an ectopic gastric duplication cyst that appeared to arise from the pancreas in a 10-week-old infant with a superficial mass in the left upper quadrant is reported. Preoperative ultrasound showed a cystic lesion with an inner echogenic layer (mucosa) and an outer anechoic rim (muscle). Technetium scan demonstrated that there was a gastric-type mucosa in the cyst. It is suggested that the ultrasound findings are specific for a gastric duplication cyst and that ultrasound and technetium scan alone will adequately characterize these lesions preoperatively.