45P Uszkodzenie trzustki w przebiegu terapii L-Asparaginazą u dzieci z ostrą białaczką limfoblastyczną

L-asparaginaza jest enzymem pochodzenia bakteryjnego, szeroko stosowanym między innymi w leczeniu ostrej białaczki limfoblastycznej. Jednym z istotnych powikłań w stosowaniu tego preparatu jest uszkodzenie trzustki.Przedstawiono 3 przypadki dzieci z ostrą białaczka limfoblastyczną, u których w trakcie podawania L-asparaginazy doszło do klinicznie jawnego epizodu zapalenia trzustki, dominującymi objawami klonicznymi były bóle brzucha, którym towarzyszyły wymioty i luźne stolce. Zmiany stwierdzone w badaniu ultrasonograficznym jamy brzusznej na różnych etapach choroby to przede wszystkim obrzęk i powiększenie narządu (częściowe lub całkowite) oraz w 1 przypadku zmiany o charakterze torbielowatym. Przedstawiono te zmiany posiłkując się bogatą dokumentacją fotograficzną. Dodatkowo stwierdzono we wszystkich przypadkach wzrost LHD w surowicy krwi. Nie stiNierdzono istotnych zmian w aktywności amylazy w surowicy i moczu, zwłaszcza w początkowej fazie choroby. Po zastosowanym leczeniu, polegającym na ścisłej diecie, podawaniu Trascolanu i leków objawowych – w 2 przypadkach osiągnęliśmy całkowite wyleczenie, a u 1 pacjenta doszło do nawrotu objawów.Wnioski1)Jakkolwiek bóle brzucha i inne objawy ze strony przewodu pokarmowego mogą pojawić się praktycznie u każdego pacjenta otrzymującego leczenie przeciwnowotworowe, to jednak w przypadku chorych otrzymujących preparaty L-asparaginazy w rozpoznaniu różnicowym należy uwzględnić zapalenie trzustki. Być może pozwoliłoby to na wczesną identyfikację pacjentów obarczonych ryzykiem uszkodzenia tego narządu.2)W początkowej fazie choroby zmiany aktwności charakterystycznych enzymów (Amylaza) mogą być niewielkie.3)USG jest bardzo przydatne dla diagnostyki i monitoringu zmian w trzustce, zwłaszcza przy dokładnie opracowanych kryteriach radiologicznych

Pneumoproteins and biomarkers of inflammation and coagulation do not predict rapid lung function decline in people living with HIV

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is among the leading causes of death worldwide and HIV is an independent risk factor for the development of COPD. However, the etiology of this increased risk and means to identify persons with HIV (PWH) at highest risk for COPD have remained elusive. Biomarkers may reveal etiologic pathways and allow better COPD risk stratification. We performed a matched case:control study of PWH in the Strategic Timing of Antiretoviral Treatment (START) pulmonary substudy. Cases had rapid lung function decline (> 40 mL/year FEV1 decline) and controls had stable lung function (+ 20 to − 20 mL/year). The analysis was performed in two distinct groups: (1) those who were virally suppressed for at least 6 months and (2) those with untreated HIV (from the START deferred treatment arm). We used linear mixed effects models to test the relationship between case:control status and blood concentrations of pneumoproteins (surfactant protein-D and club cell secretory protein), and biomarkers of inflammation (IL-6 and hsCRP) and coagulation (d-dimer and fibrinogen); concentrations were measured within ± 6 months of first included spirometry. We included an interaction with treatment group (untreated HIV vs viral suppression) to test if associations varied by treatment group. This analysis included 77 matched case:control pairs in the virally suppressed batch, and 42 matched case:control pairs in the untreated HIV batch (n = 238 total) who were followed for a median of 3 years. Median (IQR) CD4 + count was lowest in the controls with untreated HIV at 674 (580, 838). We found no significant associations between case:control status and pneumoprotein or biomarker concentrations in either virally suppressed or untreated PWH. In this cohort of relatively young, recently diagnosed PWH, concentrations of pneumoproteins and biomarkers of inflammation and coagulation were not associated with subsequent rapid lung function decline. Trial registration: NCT00867048 and NCT01797367

Microbial Desulfurization of Diesel Oils by Selected Bacterial Strains

Because of increasingly stringent regulations concerning the sulfur content of motor fuels, sulfur removal by biocatalytic means is often considered as a potential alternative to conventional deep hydrodesulfurization processes used in the refinery industry. The first microbial strain able to selectively oxidize sulfur of molecules such as dibenzothiophene (DBT) without altering its carbon content, Rhodococcus erythropolis IGTS8, was isolated more than ten years ago. The metabolic pathway (4S pathway) was elucidated and the genes involved characterized and sequenced. The present study aimed at exploiting microbial diversity to select new strains potentially interesting for ultradeep desulfurization of diesel oils, taking into account industrially important criteria. In a first step, 15 pure strains able to use DBT as a sole sulfur source and to convert it to 2-hydroxybiphenyl (HBP) were obtained from different soils. In a second step, 5 isolates belonging to the Rhodococcus/Gordonia cluster and exhibiting good growth characteristics and high biodesulfurization activities in both aqueous and organic media were selected. The action of resting cells from these strains towards different types of diesel oils was also determined in order to better assess the potentiality of biodesulfurization, especially as a finishing step complementary to deep hydrodesulfurization (HDS). Actually, in spite of their taxonomic similarity, the 5 strains displayed different activities towards the diesels oil tested. Biodesulfurization yield was also dependent upon the diesel oil used, especially its sulfur content. Some HDS-recalcitrant compounds such as 4,6-dimethyl dibenzothiophene, could be completely removed, but highly-alkylated dibenzothiophenes were resistant to the action of the biocatalysts

Acute pancreatitis during L-asparaginase treatment in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia

L-asparaginase (L-ASPA) has been put to a wide application in many therapeutic protocols, above all in the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). We presented three cases of acute pancreatitis in children with ALL induced by administration of L-ASPA preparations. Our observations revealed that ultrasound investigations are very useful in diagnosis and monitoring changes in the pancreas. The use of L-ASPA derivatives allows to decrease the toxic and allergic sequele resulting from the administration of the drug

Electrochemical fabrication of TiO2 -Au nanocomposites

Nanocomposites comprised of electrosynthesized/annealed TiO2 on indium tin oxide substrates, using the electrogeneration of base method, followed by electrodeposited gold clusters are presented, and their photoelectrochemical response is examined. The TiO2 films are nodular with a rough morphology. Gold nanoparticles were electrodeposited onto the electrogenerated TiO2 with galvanostatic pulses. A step photoresponse analysis was employed to characterize the photoelectrochemical behavior of three different forms of the TiO2-Au composite: (i) TiO2 decorated with Au nanoparticles, TiO2/Au, (ii) TiO2 with embedded Au nanoparticles in a sandwichlike fashion, TiO2/Au/TiO 2, and (iii) TiO2 with embedded and decorated Au nanoparticles, TiO2/Au/TiO2/Au. The TiO2/Au composite resulted in the highest photocurrent response under UV irradiation and in a broadening of the photocurrent response to the visible region, although with successive testing a decrease in the photocurrent response was observed. The photoresponse of the buried Au nanoparticles, TiO2/Au/TiO 2, was slightly lower compared to Au decorating the TiO2 electrosynthesized surface, TiO2/Au, but significantly higher than pristine electrosynthesized TiO2. © 2009 The Electrochemical Society