Spotlight on the Diagnosis of Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia (AML-M3) Using Karyotyping, FISH and Quantitative Real-Time PCR

Objective: This study aimed to confirm the diagnosis of AML-M3 and the frequency of occurrence of the breakpoint cluster region (bcr1) in patients provisionaly diagnosed according to FAB classification. Cytologenetic and molecular genetics methods were used. Methods: Bone marrow (BM) or Peripheral Blood (PB) samples collected from 27 AML-M3 patients (During the period 2005 through 2007) were subjected to conventional karyotyping G-banding, detection of t (15;17) was performed by Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH) and PML-RARA gene rearrangements were detected by Quantitative Real-Time Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (QR-RT-PCR). Results: Karyotyping was successful in 24 out of 27 samples. Four patients out of 24 had a t (15;17), 17 had normal karyotype and 3 had other abnormalities. The results obtained by FISH technique corresponded with karyotype results and revealed positivity in another 3 samples. QR-RT-PCR demonstrated bcr1 positivity in the 4 patients diagnosed by Karyotyping with t (15;17) and in the 8 patients can not diagnosed by Cytogenetic methods. Conclusion: Despite the fact that cytogenetics permit the identification of many chromosomal changes within a sample, FISH analysis is more sensitive when the karyotype fails to find out the t (15;17). Furthermore, QR-RT-PCR appears to be the only suitable approach to detect the molecular events underlying hematological malignancies and provides informations on the correlation between different levels of disease at early phases of therapy and clinical outcome. Keywords: Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), karyotyping, Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH),quantitative Realtime reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (QR-RT-PCR), PML/ RARA gene rearrangement Egypt. J. Hum. Genet Vol. 9 (1) 2008: pp. 121-13

Ways Forward in Religious Education: Reflections of an Australian Colloquium

Within a changed and changing context for Religious Education, scholars and practitioners (n = 57) across Australia gathered to share and discern ways forward in Religious Education (RE) within Catholic schools. A Constant Comparative Analysis process identified five pathways (ways forward) in support of RE (Formation, Pedagogy, Curriculum, Partnerships, and Research). Each pathway was underpinned by foundations in faith, summarised by an integrating principle and advanced through strategic intentions. Faith foundations for Formation were centred in Christ, acknowledged Church tradition and focused on mission as part of one’s faith journey. The arena of Pedagogy was reinforced as dependent on dialogue, inquiry, and witness and underscored in love. Curriculum dimensions focused on identity and inclusion and were argued to be relevant and creative. Partnerships were encouraged through collaboration across school, parish and parent community; and, Research was grounded through building awareness and addressing accountability. The Integrating principles for each pathway included: Formation, ‘advancing formation for personal identity and school mission’; Pedagogy, ‘advancing an inquiry, experiential, encounter-based model’; Curriculum, ‘advancing a faith-based liberating curriculum’; Partnerships, ‘advancing practices which engage and strengthen collegiality’; and Research, ‘advancing data gathering which identifies needs and informs practice’. Strategies to support future RE were multifaceted and included: Formation (forums for networking and integrating faith experience with professional learning); Pedagogy (promoting teacher roles of moderator, specialist, witness); Curriculum (involving all staff in support of curriculum alignment); Partnerships (engaging partners beyond schools); and, Research (gathering and applying quality data). Colloquium conclusions informed an imagination for RE and offered a platform for consideration of ‘where to from here’ and ‘what might be next’

Experimental investigation of the effect of nanoparticles and polymer on interfacial tension between oil and water during Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR)

Nanotechnology has been generally used in several other industries, and the interest in it within the oil industry is increasing, due to its potential to deeply change enhanced oil recovery (EOR) and to improve the mechanism of recovery. With the decline in oil discoveries during the last decades, it is believed that EOR technologies will play a key role to meet the energy demand in years to come. New materials and additives are needed to make EOR economical in challenging reservoirs or harsh environments. Nanoparticles have been widely studied for EOR, but nanoparticles with polymer chain joined to the surface, known as polymer-coated nanoparticles (PNPs), are an emerging class of materials that may be better than nanoparticles for EOR due to enhanced solubility and stability, greater maintenance of foams and emulsions, and more facile conveyance through porous mediaThis research study experimentally investigates the interfacial tension (IFT) of silica/gum-Arabic) in the presence brine at different temperature to enhanced and improve oil recovery. The study also investigate experimentally the pH value of brine and in combination with nanoparticles and polymer for liquid characterization. The results obtained for the prepared nano polymer fluid by dispersion of hydrophilic Silica and Gum Arabic in three different concentrations of brine (15%, 10%, 5%) showed variability and agglomeration. The nanopolymer fluids became cloudy due to the aggregation and sedimentation of nanopolymer particles, and this demonstrates that NaCl concentrations exceeded the critical salt concentrations (CSC) in the solution. However, the stability would not be controlled by decreasing the concentrations of NaCl, since the size of the nanopolymer particles that have been used in this experiment is 20nm, which is greater than 15nm particles that has a CSC of 0.5wt%. Additionally, the results of the interfacial tension between the brine 1.5wt% and oil decreased from 17.48mN/m to 12.58mN/m when the temperature increased from 30℃ to 50℃. Similar behaviour was observed at 70˚C, 90˚C and 100˚C with a recorded IFT of 12.1, 5.75 and 5.74mN/m. The IFT between oil and 1.5wt.% brine-based combinations (silica (0.15wt%) + Gum Arabic (0.4wt%) particles was 17.48mN/m at 30℃. It then decreased to 12.58mN/m at 50℃ and to 5.75mN/m and 5.74mN/m at 90℃ and 100℃, demonstrating that the best results are at the lower temperature 30℃ and at the higher temperature of 100℃,where interfacial tension reduced from 17.48mN/m to 5.74mN/m, with a reduction of almost 67.17%. Conclusively, The IFT tends to decrease significantly even with increasing and decreasing the combination of silica nanoparticles and gum Arabic polymer concentration. Although, fluid 5 with 15% brine shows more efficient in lowering IFT compared with the other combinations, fluid 5 solutions were able to reduce IFT the most at 100°C, thus, fluid 5 solution also gives the lowest IFT values at 30°C. Therefore, these percentage of Brine 15% + (silica (0.15wt%) + Gum Arabic (0.4wt%) could be a very good combination for enhance oil recovery

An approach to trial design and analysis in the era of non-proportional hazards of the treatment effect

Background: Most randomized controlled trials with a time-to-event outcome are designed and analysed under the proportional hazards assumption, with a target hazard ratio for the treatment effect in mind. However, the hazards may be non-proportional. We address how to design a trial under such conditions, and how to analyse the results. Methods: We propose to extend the usual approach, a logrank test, to also include the Grambsch-Therneau test of proportional hazards. We test the resulting composite null hypothesis using a joint test for the hazard ratio and for time-dependent behaviour of the hazard ratio. We compute the power and sample size for the logrank test under proportional hazards, and from that we compute the power of the joint test. For the estimation of relevant quantities from the trial data, various models could be used; we advocate adopting a pre-specified flexible parametric survival model that supports time-dependent behaviour of the hazard ratio. Results: We present the mathematics for calculating the power and sample size for the joint test. We illustrate the methodology in real data from two randomized trials, one in ovarian cancer and the other in treating cellulitis. We show selected estimates and their uncertainty derived from the advocated flexible parametric model. We demonstrate in a small simulation study that when a treatment effect either increases or decreases over time, the joint test can outperform the logrank test in the presence of both patterns of non-proportional hazards. Conclusions: Those designing and analysing trials in the era of non-proportional hazards need to acknowledge that a more complex type of treatment effect is becoming more common. Our method for the design of the trial retains the tools familiar in the standard methodology based on the logrank test, and extends it to incorporate a joint test of the null hypothesis with power against non-proportional hazards. For the analysis of trial data, we propose the use of a pre-specified flexible parametric model that can represent a time-dependent hazard ratio if one is present

Nitric oxide and L-type calcium channel influences the changes in arterial blood pressure and heart rate induced by central angiotesin II

We study the voltage dependent calcium channels and nitric oxide involvement in angiotensin II-induced pressor effect. The antipressor action of L-Type calcium channel antagonist, nifedipine, has been studied when it was injected into the third ventricle prior to angiotensin II. The influence of nitric oxide on nifedipine antipressor action has also been studied by utilizing NW-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (LNAME) (40 μg/0.2 μl) a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor and L-arginine (20 μg/0.2 μl), a nitric oxide donor agent. Adult male Holtzman rats weighting 200–250 g, with cannulae implanted into the third ventricle were injected with angiotensin II. Angiotensin II produced an elevation in mean arterial pressure and a decreased in heart rate. Such effects were potentiated by the prior injection of LNAME. L-arginine and nifedipine blocked the effects of angiotensin II. These data showed the involvement of L-Type calcium channel and a free radical gas nitric oxide in the central control of angiotensin II-induced pressor effect. This suggested that L-Type calcium channel of the circunventricular structures of central nervous system participated in both short and long term neuronal actions of ANG II with the influence of nitrergic system

Hubungan Ukuran Lingkar Lengan Atas Ibu Hamil dengan Risiko Kejadian Persalinan Preterm di Puskesmas Kecamatan Kramat Jati Jakarta Timur

Kelahiran prematur tetap menjadi salah satu penyebab terbesar mortalitas dan morbiditas perinatal di seluruh dunia. Persalian preterm biasanya sangat berhubungan dengan kejadian infeksi. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk mengidentifikasi hubungan ukuran lingkar lengan atas < 23 cm pada ibu hamil trimester pertama dengan resiko terjadinya persalinan preterm. Hal ini akan coba diteliti mengingat kelahiran preterm cenderung berkaitan dengan bayi BBLR danstatus nutrisi ibu yang buruk. Penelitian ini menggunakan desain studi kasus kontrol dengan jumlah total sampel sebanyak 105 yang dibagi ke dalam 2 kelompok kasus dan kontrol. Data yang digunakan berupa data sekunder, yaitu rekam medis pasien yang menjalani persalinan dan asuhanantenatal di Puskesmas Kecamatan Kramat Jati dalam rentang waktu Januari hingga Desember 2013. Data dianalisis dengan uji hipotesis Chi-Square (p<0,05) dan didapatkan rasio odds untuk setiap kelompok dengan menggunakan spss 11.5 for Windows. Dari analisis terhadap 105 sampel didapatkan hasil tidak terdapat hubungan antara LILA < 23 cm dengan resiko terjadinya persalinan preterm (p= 0,256). Odds rasio untuk kelompok kasus dan kontrol adalah 1,8 (95%CI 0,6-4,8). Karena CI melewati angka 1 maka tidak terdapat hubungan antara LILA < 23 cm dengan persalinanpreterm. Penelitian menunjukkan tidak terdapat hubungan yang bermakna secara statistik antara lingkar lengan atas kurang dari 23 cm dengan resiko kejadian persalinan preterm

Salt and Water Retention Is Associated with Microinflammation and Endothelial Injury in Chronic Kidney Disease

BACKGROUND: Progressive chronic kidney disease (CKD) inevitably leads to salt and water retention and disturbances in the macro-and microcirculation. OBJECTIVES: We hypothesize that salt and water dysregulation in advanced CKD may be linked to inflammation and microvascular injury pathways. METHODS: We studied 23 CKD stage 5 patients and 11 healthy controls (HC). Tissue sodium concentration was assessed using 23Sodium magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Hydration status was evaluated using bioimpedance spectroscopy. A panel of inflammatory and endothelial biomarkers was also measured. RESULTS: CKD patients had fluid overload (FO) when compared to HC (overhydration index: CKD = 0.5 ± 1.9 L vs. HC = -0.5 ± 1.0 L; p = 0.03). MR-derived tissue sodium concentrations were predominantly higher in the subcutaneous (SC) compartment (median [interquartile range] CKD = 22.4 mmol/L [19.4-31.3] vs. HC = 18.4 mmol/L [16.6-21.3]; p = 0.03), but not the muscle (CKD = 24.9 ± 5.5 mmol/L vs. HC = 22.8 ± 2.5 mmol/L; p = 0.26). Tissue sodium in both compartments correlated to FO (muscle: r = 0.63, p < 0.01; SC: rs = 0.63, p < 0.01). CKD subjects had elevated levels of vascular cell adhesion molecule (p < 0.05), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (p < 0.01), and interleukin (IL)-6 (p = 0.01) and lower levels of vascular endothelial growth factor-C (p = 0.04). FO in CKD was linked to higher IL-8 (r = 0.51, p < 0.05) and inversely associated to E-selectin (r = -0.52, p = 0.01). Higher SC sodium was linked to higher intracellular adhesion molecule (ICAM; rs = 0.54, p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: Salt and water accumulation in CKD appears to be linked with inflammation and endothelial activation pathways. Specifically IL-8, E-Selectin (in FO), and ICAM (in salt accumulation) may be implicated in the pathophysiology of FO and merit further investigation