The Potential of Cryotherapy to Remove Sugarcane Mosaic Virus from Sugarcane (Saccharum spp. hybrids) Shoot Tips.

BACKGROUND: Virus-free sugarcane is difficult to achieve due to the multiple vegetative propagation cycles employed commercially. In vitro culture using small (1 mm) meristematic shoot tips has eliminated viruses but survival is low with small explants. OBJECTIVE: Droplet-Vitrification (D-V) and V-Cryoplate protocols were investigated for the elimination of Sugarcane mosaic virus (SCMV) from large (c. 3 mm) in vitro-derived shoot tips. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Shoot tips excised from NCo376 and N19 cultivars were exposed to both cryogenic procedures. Virus indexing by RT-qPCR was performed 16 weeks after recovery. RESULTS: Explants exposed to cryo-treatments that recovered and multiplied was 30-92%, while at least 90% of control explants regenerated. No virus was detected in multiplied shoots from either cultivar after D-V and liquid nitrogen immersion. In NCo376, virus was eliminated after D-V without cooling. CONCLUSION: The preliminary findings suggest that cryotherapy and/or osmotherapy are viable options for SCMV removal from infected plants.

Cardiac manifestations of subarachnoid hemorrhage.

INTRODUCTION: Cardiac manifestations of intracranial subarachnoid hemorrhage patients include mild electrocardiogram variability, reversible left ventricular dysfunction (Takotsubo), non-ST elevation myocardial infarction, ST-elevation myocardial infarction and cardiac arrest, but their clinical relevance is unclear. The aim of the present study was to categorize the relative frequency of different cardiac abnormalities in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage and determine the influence of each abnormality on outcome.  METHODS: A retrospective review of 617 consecutive patients who presented with non-traumatic aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage at our institution was performed. A cohort of 87 (14.1%) patients who required concomitantly cardiological evaluation was selected for subgroup univariate and multi-variable analysis of radiographic, clinical and cardiac data.  RESULTS: Cardiac complications included myocardial infarction arrhythmia and congestive heart failure in 47%, 63% and 31% of the patients respectively. The overall mortality of our cohort (23%) was similar to that of national inpatient databases. In our cohort a high World Federation of Neurosurgical Surgeons grading scale and a troponin level >1.0 mcg/L were associated with a 33 times and 10 times higher risk of death respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients suffering from cardiac events at the time of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage, those with myocardial infarction and in particular those with a troponin level greater than 1.0 mcg/L had a 10 times increased risk of death. 

Laparoscopic management of symptomatic achalasia associated with epiphrenic diverticulum.

BACKGROUND: We evaluated outcome after laparoscopic esophageal diverticulectomy, myotomy, and partial fundoplication. METHODS: Patients with symptomatic achalasia and epiphrenic diverticula underwent laparoscopic diverticulectomy, Heller myotomy, and partial fundoplication. Intraoperative endoscopy and postoperative esophagography were performed in all patients. Patients graded preoperative and postoperative dysphagia and heartburn on a Likert scale. RESULTS: Anterior fundoplication was performed in five patients and posterior fundoplication in one. Mean follow-up was 9 months (range, 1-17 months). One intraoperative complication occurred--an esophagotomy that was laparoscopically repaired. There were no postoperative leaks. Patient-reported dysphagia decreased from 4.5 +/- 0.8 (mean +/- SD) to 1.8 +/- 1.7 ( p < 0.05 matched pair analysis). Heartburn decreased from 4.3 +/- 0.8 to 1.3 +/- 1.3 ( p < 0.05). All patients reported improvement in symptoms after operation. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic esophageal diverticulectomy, Heller myotomy, and partial fundoplication with intraoperative endoscopy safely reduce dysphagia associated with achalasia and esophageal diverticula while limiting symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux.

Medical school curricula do not address obesity as a disease.

BACKGROUND: Obesity and its associated comorbidities have become an epidemic. However, medical school curricula do not address obesity as a disease. We undertook this study to assess medical students' knowledge about obesity before and after exposure to bariatric surgery. METHODS: A 10-item questionnaire that assesses knowledge of etiology, comorbidities, diagnosis, and management of obesity was mailed to all 201 2nd and 3rd year medical students enrolled in USF between 1999-2000. Data are mean +/- sem. Means were compared using t-test; p < or = 0.05 was significant. RESULTS: The overall response rate was 80%. The 3rd yr students who rotated on bariatric surgery (n = 24) answered correctly more questions than 55 students who did not rotate (90 +/- 2% vs 79 +/- 2%, p = 0.048). These differences were mainly noted in questions related to clinical management of obesity (p = 0.04). There were no significant differences among responses from 2nd yr students (n = 81) and the subset of 3rd yr students (n = 55) who did not rotate through bariatric surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Medical students' knowledge about obesity is significantly improved by rotation on a bariatric surgery program and not during rotations on other clinical disciplines. Medical school curricula should be changed to reflect the growing epidemic of obesity and enhance students' knowledge about obesity as a disease.

Serine base exchange enzyme activity is modulated by sphingosine and other amphiphilic compounds: possible role of positive charge in increasing the synthesis of phosphatidylserine.

It has been found that sphingosine and sphingosylphosphorylcholine (amphiphilic cations) have a stimulatory, and cholesterol 3-sulfate (an amphiphilic anion), an inhibitory, effect on [14C]serine incorporation into phosphatidylserine in glioma C6 and rat liver microsomes. In glioma intact cells sphingosine stimulates phosphatidylserine synthesis in a process independent of protein kinase C, but suppressed by thapsigargin. We suggest that the stimulation of the enzyme occurs by the interaction of amphiphilic cations with the membrane cosubstrate phospholipids, leading to a charge redistribution on their phosphate groups, and hence facilitating the enzyme action. A new hypothesis concerning the mechanism of the serine base exchange reaction is discussed.

Correlation of hyperprolactinemia with altered plasma insulin and glucagon: similarity to effects of late human pregnancy.

Plasma glucose and insulin concentrations were measured during oral glucose and iv tolbutamide tolerance tests in nine women with hyperprolactinemia and the amenorrheagalactorrhea syndrome (AGS). Glucose tolerance curves, basal insulin levels, and postchallenge plasma insulin responses were significantly higher in AGS women compared to those in an age- and weight-matched control group. Fasting plasma glucagon concentrations were unaltered in AGS, but suppression of the hormone after oral glucose was greater and more prolonged relative to the control response. Oral glucose tolerance tests were performed on nine normal women during late pregnancy who had physiological hyperprolactinemia comparable to that in the AGS group. Glucose tolerance curves, exaggerated plasma insulin responses, and glucagon suppression resembled those observed in the AGS women. These results suggest that elevated plasma PRL concentrations may contribute to the development of hyperinsulinemia and accentuated glucagon suppression in response to glucose that is characteristic of late human pregnancy.