67 research outputs found

    Bacillus thuringiensis toxin inhibits K+-gradient-dependent amino acid transport across the brush border membrane of Pieris brassicae midgut cells

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    AbstractThe luminal membrane of larval midgut cells is the site of action of insecticidal delta-endotoxin from Bacillus thuringiensis. At concentrations that correspond to normal effective doses in vivo, the toxin inhibits the uptake of amino acids by brush border membrane vesicles prepared from midguts of Pieris brassicae larvae. The toxin does not interact with the K+-amino acid symport but rather increases the K+ permeability of the membrane. The toxin does not increase the permeability of lepidopteran midgut brush border membrane to either Na+ or H+ nor does it increase the K+ permeability of brush border membrane vesicles prepared from mammalian small intestine

    Robotic treatment of a rare paramedian cystic lesion of the lower male urogenital tract

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    Abstract Objectives To report the diagnosis and the mini-invasive treatment of a rare paramedian cystic lesion of the lower male urogenital tract (CLMGU). Material and methods This is a case of a 46 old male with low urinary tract symptoms, azoospermia and mild erectile dysfunction. MRI Imaging showed a midline high signal intensity cystic lesion of a tear drop shape, extending above the base of the prostate to the level of the seminal vesicles. The lesion was located between the seminal vesicles and the urinary bladder. A direct communication of the intra-abdominal portion of both vas deferens with the cyst was found. MRI also showed small solid nodule within the upper portion of the cyst. The patient underwent a robotic surgery of the CLMGU. A Retzius-sparing approach was used to gain access to the seminal vesicles in order to carefully dissect and excise the lesion without any dissection of the anterior compartment. The CLMGU was excised with a nerve sparing technique. Results Operative time was 115 min. Blood loss was minimal. Length of stay was three days. No post-operative complications occurred. One month after surgery patient's IPSS improved considerably. Final pathology showed a cystic lesion containing papillary projections with squamous metaplasia. At 2 months follow up, urinary symptoms improved with no postoperative complications. Conclusion Robotic surgery allows a direct access to the Douglas space with an easy removal of the neoplasia. Our video represents a case of possible application of robotic surgery to improve dissection, overall surgical precision and functional outcomes

    High feasibility and antileukemic efficacy of fludarabine, cytarabine, and idarubicin (FLAI) induction followed by risk-oriented consolidation: A critical review of a 10-year, single-center experience in younger, non M3 AML patients

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    About 105 consecutive acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients treated with the same induction-consolidation program between 2004 and 2013 were retrospectively analyzed. Median age was 47 years. The first induction course included fludarabine (Flu) and high-dose cytarabine (Ara-C) plus idarubicin (Ida), with or without gemtuzumab-ozogamicin (GO) 3 mg/m2 (FLAI-5). Patients achieving complete remission (CR) received a second course without fludarabine but with higher dose of idarubicin. Patients not achieving CR received an intensified second course. Patients not scheduled for early allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (HSCT) where planned to receive at least two courses of consolidation therapy with Ara-C. Our double induction strategy significantly differs from described fludarabine-containing regimens, as patients achieving CR receive a second course without fludarabine, to avoid excess toxicity, and Ara-C consolidation is administrated at the reduced cumulative dose of 8 g/m2 per cycle. Toxicity is a major concern in fludarabine containing induction, including the recent Medical Research Council AML15 fludarabine, cytarabine, idaraubicin and G-CSF (FLAG-Ida) arm, and, despite higher anti-leukemic efficacy, only a minority of patients is able to complete the full planned program. In this article, we show that our therapeutic program is generally well tolerated, as most patients were able to receive subsequent therapy at full dose and in a timely manner, with a 30-day mortality of 4.8%. The omission of fludarabine in the second course did not reduce efficacy, as a CR rate of 83% was achieved and 3-year disease-free survival and overall survival (OS) were 49.6% and 50.9%, respectively. Our experience shows that FLAI-5/Ara-C + Ida double induction followed by risk-oriented consolidation therapy can result in good overall outcome with acceptable toxicity. Am. J. Hematol. 91:755\u2013762, 2016. \ua9 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc

    Geographical and temporal distribution of SARS-CoV-2 clades in the WHO European Region, January to June 2020

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    We show the distribution of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) genetic clades over time and between countries and outline potential genomic surveillance objectives. We applied three genomic nomenclature systems to all sequence data from the World Health Organization European Region available until 10 July 2020. We highlight the importance of real-time sequencing and data dissemination in a pandemic situation, compare the nomenclatures and lay a foundation for future European genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2
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