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Ionization of aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes is improved by performing simultaneous chemical derivatization using 4-aminophenol to produce charged iminium ions during paper spray ionization. Accelerated reactions occur in the microdroplets generated during the paper spray ionization event for the tested aldehydes (formaldehyde, n-pentanaldehyde, n-nonanaldehyde, n-decanaldehyde, n-dodecanaldehyde, benzaldehyde, m-anisaldehyde, and p-hydroxybenzaldehyde). Tandem mass spectrometric analysis of the iminium ions using collision-induced dissociation demonstrated that straight chain aldehydes give a characteristic fragment at m/z 122 (shown to correspond to protonated 4-(methyleneamino)phenol), while the aromatic aldehyde iminium ions fragment to give a characteristic product ion at m/z 120. These features allow straightforward identification of linear and aromatic aldehydes. Quantitative analysis of n-nonaldehyde using a benchtop mass spectrometer demonstrated a linear response over 3 orders of magnitude from 2.5 ng to 5 μg of aldehyde loaded on the filter paper emitter. The limit of detection was determined to be 2.2 ng for this aldehyde. The method had a precision of 22%, relative standard deviation. The experiment was also implemented using a portable ion trap mass spectrometer., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Postoperative liver failure is a rare complication after living donor liver resection. This is a case report of a 22-year-old healthy donor who was rescued with liver transplantation 11 days after right hemihepatectomy. Nine months later the patient is alive, and has fully recovered from his multiple organ failure. According to a review of the literature, there are four additional living liver donors, who received a liver transplant. Our own patient is the only survivor, so far. This case demonstrates that even in supposedly healthy living donors postoperative complications cannot be completely prevented. Although liver failure is rare in these patients, timely transplantation may need to be considered as the only life-saving treatment.

Unlabelled: Esophageal carcinoma frequently occurs in patients with long-standing achalasia., Aim: To examine the role of p53 alterations and PCNA in patients with megaesophagus., Methods: Sections of four tumors, and corresponding adjacent areas, from patients with achalasia due to Chagas' disease were examined by immunohistochemistry for p53 and PCNA proteins. Furthermore, 128 biopsies from 16 advanced achalasic patients were prospectively collected and evaluated for grades of inflammation, hyperplasia, dysplasia and also for p53 and PCNA proteins. All specimens showing p53 immunoreactivity were topographically genotyped using microdissection, PCR amplification and direct sequencing of p53 exons 5-8., Results: Diffuse strong immunoreactivity of p53 was observed in 2/4 tumors. In one patient, the adjacent mucosa also showed strong p53. In the adjacent mucosa, the same areas showing p53 overexpression also had PCNA positive cells. In the prospective group, 7/16 (43.7%) patients or 53/128 (41.4%) biopsies expressed p53. The grade of inflammation was significantly correlated with the presence of positive p53, in patients, p = 0.004 and in biopsies, p < 0.00001. PCNA expression was found in the basal layer of the mucosa, and increased PCNA was associated with p53 overexpression, p = 0.00018. Genotyping detected mutation in exon 6, codon 213 RG, in one patient (1/16, 6.2%)., Conclusions: (1.) p53 alterations, overexpression and mutational change, are an early event in patients with achalasia; (2.) The inflammation frequently seen in these patients appears to be associated with alterations of the p53 protein; (3.) Expression of the tumor suppressor gene is increased in areas showing proliferation.

Adults have racial differences in body composition that may modulate risks resulting from obesity. Although black and white children have been shown previously to have differences in bone mineral density and subcutaneous body fat, differences in visceral adipose tissue have not been evaluated. We studied 20 black and 20 white normal-weight girls aged 7-10 y, who were matched for weight, body mass index (BMI), bone age, chronological age, Tanner breast stage, and socioeconomic status. Each underwent anthropometric measurements, bioelectrical impedance analysis, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and abdominal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for determination of total (TAT), visceral (VAT), and subcutaneous (SAT) adipose tissue. Serum lipids and fasting and 2-h oral-glucose-tolerance test (OGTT) glucose and insulin concentrations were also measured. There were no differences between groups in absolute waist circumference or waist-to-hip ratio, but waist-to-thigh ratio was smaller in black than in white girls. Black girls had greater bone mineral density and less TAT, VAT, and SAT than whites. VAT was not significantly correlated with any measure of insulin, or with serum lipids. However, both basal and 2-h OGTT serum insulin were significantly correlated with SAT as assessed by MRI in black girls (r2 = 0.46 for basal insulin, P = 0.001: r2 = 0.31 for 2-h insulin, P = 0.01) but not in white girls (r2 < 0.05, for basal and 2-h insulin, NS). We conclude that there are significant racial differences in body composition and differences in the strength of association between abdominal adipose tissue depots and insulin sensitivity in black and white girls.

The gastrointestinal tract is commonly involved in SSc. The esophagus is the most frequently affected, followed by the anorectal region, the small bowel, stomach, and colon. Smooth muscle atrophy and to a lesser degree fibrosis is the underlying defect responsible for the resulting abnormalities. These smooth muscle alterations have a significant impact on gastrointestinal motility, which results in secondary disorders of GER, pseudo-obstruction, bacterial overgrowth, and disordered bowel functions. The clinical presentation for these conditions ranges from asymptomatic to life-threatening. Thus, gastrointestinal evaluation and treatment of these conditions is an important aspect in the management of patients with SSc.

Adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) is a malignancy of mature lymphocytes caused by the retrovirus human T-cell lymphotropic virus-I. It is an aggressive leukemia with a median survival time of 9 months; no chemotherapy regimen appears successful in inducing long-term disease-free survival. The scientific basis of the present study is that ATL cells express high-affinity interleukin-2 receptors identified by the anti-Tac monoclonal antibody, whereas normal resting cells do not. To exploit this difference, we administered anti-Tac armed with Yttrium-90 (90Y) to 18 patients with ATL initially (first 9 patients) in a phase I dose-escalation trial and subsequently (second group of 9 patients) in a phase II trial involving a uniform 10-mCi dose of 90Y-labeled anti-Tac. Patients undergoing a remission were permitted to receive up to eight additional doses. At the 5- to 15-mCi doses used, 9 of 16 evaluable patients responded to 90Y anti-Tac with a partial (7 patients) or complete (2 patients) remission. The responses observed represent improved efficacy in terms of length of remission when compared with previous results with unmodified anti-Tac. Clinically meaningful (> or = grade 3) toxicity was largely limited to the hematopoietic system. In conclusion, radioimmunotherapy with 90Y anti-Tac directed toward the IL-2R expressed on ATL cells may provide a useful approach for treatment of this aggressive malignancy.

In order to label avidin with Tc-99m, we took advantage of the high affinity binding of biotin to avidin; we radiolabeled a biotin derivative with Tc-99m and then bound this Tc-99m labeled biotin derivative to avidin. For our labeling approach, N epsilon-biotinyl-L-lysine (Biocytin) was reacted with the N-hydroxy-succinimide ester of benzoylmercaptoacetyltriglycine (Bz-MAG3). The resulting Bz-MAG3-Biocytin was labeled with Tc-99m using Tc-99m glucarate as a Tc-99m transchelating agent and mixed with avidin at a 1:1 molar ratio resulting in almost a quantitative labeling yield. Tc-99m-MAG3-Biocytin/Avidin was stable in serum at 37 degrees C with 97 and 95% of the total Tc-99m activity still bound to avidin at 2 and 24 h, respectively. The biodistribution of Tc-99m-MAG3-Biocytin/Avidin in normal Balb/c mice showed a high liver and kidney uptake with 56.6 and 28.9%, respectively at 10 min. We attempted to lower the liver and the kidney activities by reducing the isoelectric point (pI) of avidin by conjugating succinic acid moieties at lysine residues of avidin (pI 10). The kidney uptake decreased to 19.0, 3.1 and 1.7% when the pI of avidin was reduced to 7.0-9.3, 5.5-6.2 and 4.0-4.8, respectively. The lowering of the pI, however, did not change the liver activity appreciably.

An in vitro whole organ bath preparation was used to examine the effects of leucine enkephalin on the cat ileocecal sphincter (ICS) intraluminal pressure and myoelectric activity. The bath allowed separation of the bathing media surrounding the ICS and the ileum. Leucine enkephalin (2 x 10(-7) M) when added to the ileal bathing medium caused a delayed increase in ICS spike activity and pressure which was blocked by tetrodotoxin (10(-5)M). In contrast, leucine enkephalin (2 x 10(-7)M) added directly to the ICS bathing medium caused an immediate spike-associated contractile response which was tetrodotoxin-resistant. Thus both an indirect and direct opiate action at the ICS was demonstrated.