The removal of acetabular bone in hip resurfacing and cementless total hip replacement: a comparison using the ratio of the size of the acetabular component to the diameter of the native femoral head.

The purpose of this study was to compare the amount of acetabular bone removed during hip resurfacing (HR) and cementless total hip replacement (THR), after controlling for the diameter of the patient's native femoral head. Based on a power analysis, 64 consecutive patients (68 hips) undergoing HR or THR were prospectively enrolled in the study. The following data were recorded intra-operatively: the diameter of the native femoral head, the largest reamer used, the final size of the acetabular component, the size of the prosthetic femoral head and whether a decision was made to increase the size of the acetabular component in order to accommodate a larger prosthetic femoral head. Results were compared using two-sided, independent samples Student's t-tests. A statistically significant difference was seen in the mean ratio of the size of the acetabular component to the diameter of the native femoral head (HR: 1.05 (SD 0.04) versus THR: 1.09 (SD 0.05); p < 0.001) and largest acetabular reamer used to the diameter of the native femoral head (HR: 1.03 (SD 0.04) versus THR: 1.09 (SD 0.05); p < 0.001). The ratios varied minimally when the groups were subdivided by gender, age and obesity. The decision to increase the size of the acetabular component to accommodate a larger femoral head occurred more often in the THR group (27% versus 9%). Despite the emphasis on avoiding damage to the femoral neck during HR, the ratio of the size of the acetabular component to the diameter of the native femoral head was larger in cementless THR than in HR.

Verification of some building materials as gamma-ray shields.

The shielding properties for gamma rays of a few low Z materials were investigated. The values of the mass attenuation coefficient, equivalent atomic number, effective atomic number, exposure buildup factor and energy absorption buildup factor were calculated and used to estimate the shielding effectiveness of the samples under investigation. It has been observed that the shielding effectiveness of a sample is directly related to its effective atomic number. The shielding character of any sample is a function of the incident photon energy. Good shielding behaviour has been verified in soil samples in the photon energy region of 0.015-0.30 MeV and of dolomite in 3-15 MeV. The results have been shown graphically with more useful conclusions.

Verification of dosimetric materials to be used as tissue-substitutes in radiological diagnosis.

Dosimetric materials have been investigated in terms of calculated mass energy absorption coefficient, equivalent atomic number and KERMA (kinetic energy released per unit mass) in the energy range 0.015-15 MeV. Using analytical methodology it has verified that nylon is the best substitute dosimetric material for skin, muscle, bone and soft-tissues. Relative energy absorption buildup factors calculated by G-P fitting method confirm the findings. Nylon has been found to be good tissue substitute material for making tissue-phantoms of the biological tissues investigated.

Alkaline stress-induced apoptosis in human pulmonary artery endothelial cells.

The effect of alkaline stress, or an increase in extracellular pH (pHext), on cell viability is poorly defined. Human pulmonary artery endothelial cells (HPAEC) were subjected to alkaline stress using different methods of increasing pHext. Viability and mode of cell death following alkaline stress were determined by assessing nuclear morphology, ultrastructural features, and caspase-3 activity. Incubation of monolayers in media set to different pHext values (7.4-8.4) for 24-h induced morphological changes suggesting apoptosis (35-45% apoptotic cells) following severe alkaline stress. The magnitude of apoptosis was related to the severity of alkaline stress. These findings were confirmed with an assessment of ultrastructural changes and caspase-3 activation. While there was no difference in the intracellular calcium level ([Ca(2+)](i)) in monolayers set to pHext 7.4 versus 8.4 following the first hour of alkaline stress, blockade of calcium uptake with the chelator, EGTA, potentiated the magnitude of apoptosis under these conditions. Potentiation of apoptosis was reduced by calcium supplementation of the media. Finally, alkaline stress was associated with an increase in intracellular pH. This is the first report of apoptosis following alkaline stress in endothelial cells in the absence of other cell death stimuli.

Enhancement of wound healing by shikonin analogue 93/637 in normal and impaired healing.

Wound healing is a complicated biological process, which involves interactions of multiple cell types, various growth factors, their mediators and the extracellular matrix proteins. In this study, we evaluated the effects of shikonin analogue 93/637 (SA), derived from the plant Arnebia nobilis, on normal and hydrocortisone-induced impaired healing in full thickness cutaneous punch wounds in rats. SA (0.1%) was applied topically daily as an ointment in polyethylene glycol base on wounds. SA treatment significantly accelerated healing of wounds, as measured by wound contraction compared to controls in hydrocortisone-impaired animals. SA treatment promoted formation of granulation tissue including cell migration and neovascularization, collagenization and reepithelialization. The expression of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) was higher as revealed by immunohistochemistry in treated wounds compared to controls. However, the expression of transforming growth factor-beta(1) was not affected by SA treatment. Since bFGF is known to accelerate wound healing, the increased expression of bFGF by SA may be partly responsible for the enhancement of wound healing. These studies suggest that SA could be further studied for clinical use to enhance wound healing.

Migratory pulmonary infiltrates in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis.

The case history is described of an elderly man with rheumatoid arthritis receiving treatment with sulfasalazine and the cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor celecoxib who presented with severe shortness of breath, cough, and decreased exercise tolerance. The chest radiograph showed unilateral alveolo-interstitial infiltrates and a biopsy specimen of the lung parenchyma showed changes consistent with acute eosinophilic pneumonia. Antibiotic treatment was unsuccessful, but treatment with steroids and discontinuation of sulfasalazine and celecoxib resulted in a marked clinical improvement confirmed by arterial blood gas analysis. The condition may have developed as an adverse reaction either to sulfasalazine or to celecoxib, although hypersensitivity to the latter has not previously been reported.

Is repeat prostate biopsy for high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia necessary after routine 12-core sampling?

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether repeat biopsy is necessary when the diagnosis of high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (HGPIN) is made with a 12-core biopsy. Repeated biopsy has been recommended for individuals with HGPIN noted on sextant prostate biopsy because of the high likelihood of cancer detection. Recently, we have recommended the routine use of 12 cores, rather than 6, to improve cancer detection. METHODS: The charts of all patients undergoing prostate biopsy during a 2-year period at the Manhattan Veterans Administration Medical Center were reviewed. Patients diagnosed with HGPIN on a 12-core biopsy were identified, and those undergoing a repeat 12-core biopsy within 1 year of the initial biopsy were evaluated to determine the rate of cancer detection. RESULTS: A total of 619 men underwent biopsy during the study period. Of 103 men diagnosed with HGPIN, 43 underwent a repeat biopsy within 1 year at the discretion of the managing urologist. The mean age and median prostate-specific antigen level of those undergoing a repeat biopsy was 65.5 years and 5.37 ng/mL, respectively. At the time of the repeat biopsy, 1 patient was found to have cancer (2.3%), 20 had HGPIN (46.5%), 20 had benign pathologic findings (46.5%), and 1 patient (2.3%) had atypical small acinar proliferation. CONCLUSIONS: A repeat biopsy after the diagnosis of HGPIN on 12-core prostate biopsy rarely results in cancer detection. In the absence of other factors increasing the suspicion of cancer, immediate repeat biopsy for HGPIN diagnosed on a 12-core biopsy is unnecessary.

Synchronous gastric adenocarcinomas in a patient with Meckel's diverticulum.

Meckel's diverticulum, which is the most common congenital anomaly of the gastrointestinal tract, occurs when the vitelline duct persists past the 7th week of gestation. Although complications may occur in 8% to 22% of patients with Meckel's diverticula, adenocarcinoma is very uncommon. We describe a patient with early gastric cancer who was incidentally found to have a superficial adenocarcinoma arising from ectopic gastric mucosa within a Meckel's diverticulum. To the best of our knowledge, synchronous gastric adenocarcinoma in a patient with Meckel's diverticulum has not been previously reported.

Light microscopic and ultrastructural evidence of in vivo phagocytosis of Helicobacter pylori by neutrophils.

Helicobacter pylori is believed to cause chronic active gastritis. Infection/colonization of the gastric mucosal surface induces a mucosal inflammatory reaction in the form of lymphocytic aggregates, plasma cells and, particularly, neutrophils, which may, in turn, damage the mucosal epithelium. In vitro studies demonstrate that, in culture, the bacilli are readily phagocytosed by neutrophils, this evoking a neutrophilic oxidative burst. However, it has been claimed that neutrophils do not phagocytose H. pylori in vivo. In this study of 19 endoscopic biopsies of gastric mucosa with H. pylori-associated gastritis, Cresyl violet staining for light microscopy and electron microscopy are used to demonstrate that, in vivo, neutrophils actively phagocytose and destroy the bacilli in the epithelial intercellular space and in the mucin on the surface of the mucosa. Direct contact of neutrophils with H. pylori was observed in 17 of 17 cases by light microscopy and in 4 of 15 cases by electron microscopy. Phagocytosis by neutrophils was seen in 14 of 17 cases by light microscopy and in 3 of 1 5 cases by electron microscopy. It was most evident in the surface mucus coat where "wolf packs" of neutrophils were seen attacking the microbes. Ultrastructurally, neutrophil phagolysosomes contained both intact and partially digested bacteria, convincing evidence that the primary function of neutrophils in chronic active gastritis is to destroy H. pylori organisms. This study leaves open the question of whether, or how, neutrophils damage the gastric mucosa.

A study of energy and effective atomic number dependence of the exposure build-up factors in biological samples.

A theoretical method is presented to determine the gamma-radiation build-up factors in various biological materials. The gamma energy range is 0.015-15.0 MeV, with penetration depths up to 40 mean free paths considered. The dependence of the exposure build-up factor on incident photon energy and the effective atomic number (Zeff) has also been assessed. In a practical analysis of dose burden to gamma-irradiated biological materials, the sophistication of Monte Carlo computer techniques would be applied, with associated detailed modelling. However, a feature of the theoretical method presented is its ability to make the consequences of the physics of the scattering process in biological materials more transparent. In addition, it can be quickly employed to give a first-pass dose estimate prior to a more detailed computer study.

Effect of felodipine on the serum lipid profile of patients with hypertension.

Forty patients suffering from mild to moderate degree of hypertension were put on felodipine. Their lipid profile was analysed before the start of their therapy and consecutively at two and four months after starting felodipine. There was a statistically significant fall in the levels of serum cholesterol, serum triglycerides and serum total lipids; though no appreciable variation was observed in HDL and LDL cholesterol levels. At baseline there were a few patients who had higher than the normal range of the serum lipid profile. Analysis of these patients showed a highly significant fall in the levels of serum cholesterol, serum triglycerides, serum LDL-cholesterol and serum total lipids i.e. felodipine modified the lipid profiles of hypertensive patients in a positive way.

Composite keratohyaline granules in striate keratoderma.

The gross, light microscopic, and ultrastructural findings in a 55 year old man was striate keratoderma are presented. There was no family history of the disease. The lesions developed in his late teens and early adult years, and consisted of progressively worsening, raised, hyperkeratotic, linear plaques on the palm and volar surface of the third and fifth fingers bilaterally. There were also painful callosities on both heels, and thick, raised plaques on the heels and lateral plantar surfaces. The epidermis was papillomatous and acanthotic, with marked orthokeratosis, minimal parakeratosis, and a very thickened granular layer. No epidermolysis was seen. Electron microscopy showed increased tonofibrils in the stratum spinosum arranged in wavy, parallel bundles and a granular layer in which normal Odland bodies were present. However, the keratohyaline granules were large, with rounded borders and a striped, alternating, dark and light content characteristic of composite granules. There was diminished contact of the granules with tonofibrils. The transition to the stratum corneum was abrupt. The ultrastructural and genetic features of keratodermas, with special emphasis on the striate type, are reviewed.

Curcumin enhances wound healing in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats and genetically diabetic mice.

Tissue repair and wound healing are complex processes that involve inflammation, granulation and tissue remodeling. Interactions of different cells, extracellular matrix proteins and their receptors are involved in wound healing, and are mediated by cytokines and growth factors. Previous studies from our laboratory have shown that curcumin (diferuloylmethane), a natural product obtained from the rhizomes of Curcuma longa, enhanced cutaneous wound healing in rats and guinea pigs. In this study, we have evaluated the efficacy of curcumin treatment by oral and topical applications on impaired wound healing in diabetic rats and genetically diabetic mice using a full thickness cutaneous punch wound model. Wounds of animals treated with curcumin showed earlier re-epithelialization, improved neovascularization, increased migration of various cells including dermal myofibroblasts, fibroblasts, and macrophages into the wound bed, and a higher collagen content. Immunohistochemical localization showed an increase in transforming growth factor-beta1 in curcumin-treated wounds compared to controls. Enhanced transforming growth factor-beta1 mRNA expression in treated wounds was confirmed by in situ hybridization, and laser scan cytometry. A delay in the apoptosis patterns was seen in diabetic wounds compared to curcumin treated wounds as shown by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridyl triphosphate nick end labeling analysis. Curcumin was effective both orally and topically. These results show that curcumin enhanced wound repair in diabetic impaired healing, and could be developed as a pharmacological agent in such clinical settings.

Role of vacuolar H(+)-ATPase in interferon-induced inhibition of viral glycoprotein transport.

We have shown previously that interferon-beta (IFN-beta) induces the alkalinization of trans-Golgi network (TGN) and inhibits the transport of G protein of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) in L(B) cells and gD protein of herpes simplex virus (HSV-1) in LMtk- cells transfected with gD cDNA. The vacuolar H(+)-ATPase (V-ATPase) is responsible for maintaining pH in TGN, and V-ATPase-mediated acidification is required for normal transport of proteins. To examine whether alkalinization caused by IFN is mediated through V-ATPase, the activity of V-ATPase was determined in IFN-treated cells by coupling ATP hydrolysis to NADH oxidation. Bafilomycin (Baf) was used as positive control, as it specifically inhibits V-ATPase. The activity of V-ATPase was reduced in IFN-treated or Baf-treated cells compared with untreated cells. Doses of IFN-beta or Baf that neither alter pHi nor inhibit the transport of viral glycoproteins concomitantly inhibited the transport of G and gD proteins in TGN, as demonstrated by indirect immunofluorescence studies, and raised the pH of TGN as demonstrated by a decrease in the uptake of DAMP. Further, the effect of Baf on IFN-induced antiviral activity against VSV was examined to correlate the biologic significance of these findings. Data showed that Baf significantly enhances (5-50-fold) the IFN-induced antiviral activity as demonstrated by viral titers from supernatants. These findings suggest that the inhibition of transport of G and gD proteins by IFN-beta, may be related to the inhibition of V-ATPase-mediated acidification of TGN.

Arnebin-1 accelerates normal and hydrocortisone-induced impaired wound healing.

Wound healing involves inflammation, cell proliferation, matrix deposition, and tissue remodeling. Interaction of different cells, extracellular matrix proteins, and their receptors are mediated by cytokines and growth factors during wound healing. In this study, we have evaluated the effect of arnebin-1, a natural product isolated from Arnebia nobilis, on normal and impaired wound healing in cutaneous punch wound model. Arnebin-1 was applied topically daily on wounds of hydrocortisone-treated or untreated animals. Arnebin-1 significantly accelerated healing of wounds with or without hydrocortisone treatment as revealed by a reduction in the wound width and gap length compared with controls. Arnebin-1 treatment promoted the cell proliferation, migration, and vessel formation to form a thick granulation tissue and re-epithelialization of the wounds. An increase in the synthesis of collagen, fibronectin and transforming growth factor-beta1 was seen in arnebin-1-treated wounds compared with the untreated control. As transforming growth factor-beta1 is known to enhance wound healing, and associated with the wound healing defect in hydrocortisone-treated wounds, the enhanced expression of transforming growth factor-beta1 at both translational and transcriptional level by arnebin-1 may be responsible for the enhancement of wound healing during normal and impaired wound repair. These studies suggest that arnebin-1 could be developed as a potent therapeutic agent for wound healing in steroid-impaired wounds.

Thymosin beta4 accelerates wound healing.

Angiogenesis is an essential step in the repair process that occurs after injury. In this study, we investigated whether the angiogenic thymic peptide thymosin beta4 (Tbeta4) enhanced wound healing in a rat full thickness wound model. Addition of Tbeta4 topically or intraperitoneally increased reepithelialization by 42% over saline controls at 4 d and by as much as 61% at 7 d post-wounding. Treated wounds also contracted at least 11% more than controls by day 7. Increased collagen deposition and angiogenesis were observed in the treated wounds. We also found that Tbeta4 stimulated keratinocyte migration in the Boyden chamber assay. After 4-5 h, migration was stimulated 2-3-fold over migration with medium alone when as little as 10 pg of Tbeta4 was added to the assay. These results suggest that Tbeta4 is a potent wound healing factor with multiple activities that may be useful in the clinic.

Acceleration of viral replication and up-regulation of cytokine levels by antimalarials: implications in malaria-endemic areas.

Antimalarial drugs are widely used in malaria endemic areas, both for chemoprophylaxis and also empirically to treat patients presenting with fever. Previously, we have reported that chloroquine enhances the severity of Semliki forest virus (SFV) and encephalomyocarditis virus infection. The studies presented herein show that a broad spectrum of antimalarial drugs augmented the replication of SFV in mice, concomitant with greater tissue damage and up-regulation of mRNA levels of various inflammatory cytokine genes, including interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra), II-1alpha, IL-1beta, IL-6, IL-12p40, and interferon-gamma inducing factor. Furthermore, chloroquine enhances IL-1Ra production in RAW cells in vitro. Since IL-1Ra is known to be up-regulated in a number of viral infections, we propose that a further enhancement of its expression by antimalarials may be responsible for the increased severity of viral infection in our studies. Thus, the widespread use of antimalarials in malaria-endemic areas may predispose the population to viral infections. Further studies are in progress to delineate mechanism(s) involved in cytokine up-regulation and acceleration of viral replication.

Picroliv -- a natural product protects cells and regulates the gene expression during hypoxia/reoxygenation.

Cellular adaptation to hypoxia involves regulation of specific genes such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), erythropoietin (EPO) and hypoxia inducible factor (HIF)-1 . In this study, we have evaluated the protective effect of picroliv (a purified iridoid glycoside fraction from roots of Picrorhiza kurrooa with hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties) against hypoxic injury by examining lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release in Hep 3B and Glioma cells. The expression of hypoxia regulated genes, VEGF and HIF-1 was studied in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC), Hep 3B and Glioma cells. Picroliv reduced the cellular damage caused by hypoxia as revealed by a significant reduction in LDH release compared to untreated control. The expression of VEGF and HIF-1 subunits (HIF-1alpha and HIF-1beta) was enhanced by treatment with picroliv during normoxia and hypoxia in HUVEC and Hep 3B cells and on reoxygenation the expression of these genes was significantly reduced as revealed by mRNA analysis using RT-PCR. Simultaneous treatment with picroliv during hypoxia inhibited VEGF and HIF-1 expression in Glioma cells whereas the expression was not reduced by picroliv treatment during reoxygenation as evidenced by both RT-PCR and Northern hybridization. VEGF expression as revealed by immunofluorescence studies correlates well with the regulations observed in the mRNA expression. We have also examined the kinase activity of tyrosine phosphorylated proteins and protein kinase C (PKC) in Glioma cells treated with picroliv during hypoxia/reoxygenation. A selective inhibition of protein tyrosine kinase activity leading to tyrosine dephosphorylation of several proteins including 80 kd protein, and a reduction in PKC was seen in cells treated with picroliv and hypoxia. These findings suggest that picroliv may act as a protective agent against hypoxia/reoxygenation induced injuries, and the underlying mechanism may involve a novel signal transduction pathway.