Determining Toxoplasma high-risk autologous and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation patients by systematic pre-transplant PCR screening of stem cell originated buffy coat

WOS: 000309376800009PubMed ID: 22609887The diagnosis of Toxoplasma infection or disease in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) patients is achieved mainly by PCR screening; however screening did not find wide field of use in practice due to costly expenditures of PCR. This study aimed to determine patients at high risk of Toxoplasma infection or disease before transplantation by stem cell originated buffy coat PCR and subsequently to screen them. Buffy coats collected from 12 autologous and 18 allogeneic HSCF patients' donors were investigated by PCR before transplantation. After transplantation, blood and sera collected at fixed time intervals were screened by two PCR methods and serological assays. Screening results first time assessed a toxoplasmosis incidence level as 25% in autologous HSCT patients and increased incidence level in allogeneic HSCT patients to 22%. Importantly, huffy coat PCR was first time performed before transplantation, to determine the risk of toxoplasmosis. Buffy coat PCR results showed that four patients were at high risk of toxoplasmosis before transplantation. After transplantation, these patients experienced toxoplasmosis. In conclusion, for the determination of patients at risk of toxoplasmosis, clinicians should consider buffy coat PCR in combination with serology before transplantation. After transplantation, PCR screening can be initiated in high risk patients upon clinical suspicion. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.Scientific Research Projects Branch Directorate of Ege University, TurkeyEge University [2005-TIP-032]The study was supported by the grant given by the Scientific Research Projects Branch Directorate of Ege University, Turkey (Grant 2005-TIP-032) to Y.G

Protective effect of a nuclear factor kappa B inhibitor, pyrolidium dithiocarbamate, in the kidney of rats with nephrolithiasis induced by ethylene glycol

Purpose: To study the protective effects of a selective nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappa B) inhibitor, pyrolidium dithiocarbamate (PDTC), on ethylene glycol-induced crystal deposition in the renal tubules, renal toxicity, as well as inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and NF-kappa B activities in rat kidneys

Installation of the METU Defocusing Beamline to Perform Space Radiation Tests

METU Defocusing Beamline (DBL) is being installed at TAEA SANAEM Proton Accelerator Facility [1] for radiation tests of electronic devices to be used in satellites and spacecrafts which are exposed to a high radiation dose in space or at the Hi-Lumi LHC [2]. 15 - 30 MeV protons from the accelerator are spread out over an area of 15.40 X 21.55 cm to provide large irradiation in accordance to ESA/ESCC No. 25100 standard with METU-DBL. A wide selectable flux menu ranging from 10(5) - 10(10) p/cm(2)/s will be available to users starting in summer 2019. The final design has been updated with the experience gained from the pre-test setup installation [3] and the ensuing irradiation campaign with different users [4]. In this paper, magnetic measurement results of a custom design quadrupole magnet, as well as updates to the mechanical, robotic and control subsystems are presented

Metu-Defocusing Beamline : A 15-30 Mev Proton Irradiation Facility and Beam Measurement System

Middle East Technical University – Defocusing Beam Line (METU-DBL) project is an irradiation facility providing 15 MeV to 30 MeV kinetic energy protons for testing various high radiation level applications, ranging from Hi-Lumi LHC upgrade, space electronic components to nuclear material research. The project located inside the premises of the TAEA (Turkish Atomic Energy Agency) SANAEM (Saraykoy Nuclear Education and Research Center) close to Ankara, provides users a wide selectable flux menu (105–1010 p/cm2/s). The facility is now being commissioned and the facility will be providing a large test area (20 cm x 15 cm) for material, detector and electronics tests. The proton beam is monitored along the beamline using aluminum oxide screens and the flux and uniformity is measured using three detectors attached to the robotic system for cross- checks. A fiber scintillator detector scans the large irradiation area while small area diamond detector and Timepix3 detector are used for spot checks for calibration. Several samples can be radiated simultaneously inside the irradiation area and the robotic system provides 5 separate holders for samples which can be moved in or out, providing users flexibility for the desired fluence. This talk will first introduce METU- DBL as a radiation test facility, then discuss the radiation monitoring of the beam area and the radiation room, while highlighting how this facility can be used for future testing of materials for radiation tolerance

Metu-Defocusing Beamline : A 15-30 Mev Proton Irradiation Facility and Beam Measurement System

Middle East Technical University – Defocusing Beam Line (METU-DBL) project is an irradiation facility providing 15 MeV to 30 MeV kinetic energy protons for testing various high radiation level applications, ranging from Hi-Lumi LHC upgrade, space electronic components to nuclear material research. The project located inside the premises of the TAEA (Turkish Atomic Energy Agency) SANAEM (Saraykoy Nuclear Education and Research Center) close to Ankara, provides users a wide selectable flux menu (105–1010 p/cm2/s). The facility is now being commissioned and the facility will be providing a large test area (20 cm x 15 cm) for material, detector and electronics tests. The proton beam is monitored along the beamline using aluminum oxide screens and the flux and uniformity is measured using three detectors attached to the robotic system for cross- checks. A fiber scintillator detector scans the large irradiation area while small area diamond detector and Timepix3 detector are used for spot checks for calibration. Several samples can be radiated simultaneously inside the irradiation area and the robotic system provides 5 separate holders for samples which can be moved in or out, providing users flexibility for the desired fluence. This talk will first introduce METU- DBL as a radiation test facility, then discuss the radiation monitoring of the beam area and the radiation room, while highlighting how this facility can be used for future testing of materials for radiation tolerance