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Oral candidiasis is the most frequent fungal infection of the oral cavity. Clinical diagnoses require mycological confirmation, which is time-consuming in case of culture testing. The aim of the study was to identify signature volatiles to develop a chairside breath test to diagnose oral candidiasis. Headspaces above Candida albicans, glabrata, tropicalis, krusei cultures, and growth media as control were analysed after eight and 24 h using offline gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. The identification of signature volatiles was assisted using various microbial databases. Retrieved volatile patterns enabled Candida species discrimination in vitro. For C. albicans 3-methyl-2-butanone and styrene and for C. krusei a combination of p-xylene, 2-octanone, 2-heptanone and n-butyl acetate were found to be specific. 1-hexanol was found in C. tropicalis, but is emitted by a variety of other microorganisms. C. glabrata was characterised through the absence of these volatiles. The development of a breath test is a promising approach in confirming suspicions of oral candidiasis. To confirm the retrieved results in vivo, breath tests in affected and healthy subjects have to be performed., (© 2015 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.)

Objectives: Cold plasma (CP) has been shown to be effective even against multiresistant microorganisms. As previous investigations on the effect of CP in root canals showed promising results, the aim of the present study was to analyze the bactericidal efficacy of CP in different depths of infected dentin., Methods: 32 standardized root canals of human mandibular premolars were infected with Enterococcus faecalis and incubated for one week. Specimens were randomly selected for one of four disinfection methods: control (5mL NaCl), 5mL chlorhexidine (CHX), CP alone (CP), and a combination of 5mL CHX and cold plasma (CHX+CP). CHX was ultrasonically activated for 30s, while cold plasma was used for 60s in the root canals. Dentin samples at depths of 300, 500 and 800 µm were obtained and diluted serially. Colony forming units (CFUs) were counted on agar plates after 24h of incubation., Results: The highest overall logarithmic reduction factors (RF) were obtained from CHX+CP (log RF 3.56 p<0.01; Mann-Whitney U test), followed by CP (log RF 3.27 p<0.01) and CHX alone (log RF 2.65 p<0.01) related to the control. All disinfection methods showed significantly lower CFU counts compared to the control group in 300 µm and 800 µm (both p<0.01, Kruskal-Wallis test)., Discussion: The adjuvant use of CP might be beneficial in highly infected root canals to improved disinfection. However, the disinfection effect against Enterococcus faecalis of CP is comparable to ultrasonically activated CHX.

Syphilis is often called the great imitator because of its frequent atypical clinical manifestations that make the disease difficult to recognize. Because Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum, the infectious agent of syphilis, is yet uncultivated in vitro, diagnosis is usually made using serology; however, in cases where serology is inconclusive or in patients with immunosuppression where these tests may be difficult to interpret, the availability of a molecular tool for direct diagnosis may be of pivotal importance. Here we present a fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) assay that simultaneously identifies and analyzes spatial distribution of T. pallidum in histological tissue sections. For this assay the species-specific FISH probe TPALL targeting the 16S rRNA of T. pallidum was designed in silico and evaluated using T. pallidum infected rabbit testicular tissue and a panel of non-syphilis spirochetes as positive and negative controls, respectively, before application to samples from four syphilis-patients. In a HIV positive patient, FISH showed the presence of T. pallidum in inguinal lymph node tissue. In a patient not suspected to suffer from syphilis but underwent surgery for phimosis, numerous T. pallidum cells were found in preputial tissue. In two cases with oral involvement, FISH was able to differentiate T. pallidum from oral treponemes and showed infection of the oral mucosa and tonsils, respectively. The TPALL FISH probe is now readily available for in situ identification of T. pallidum in selected clinical samples as well as T. pallidum research applications and animal models., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To address the focused question, is there an impact of platform switching (PS) on marginal bone level (MBL) changes around endosseous implants compared to implants with platform matching (PM) implant-abutment configurations?, Material and Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted using electronic databases PubMed, Web of Science, Journals@Ovid Full Text and Embase, manual search for human randomized clinical trials (RCTs) and prospective clinical controlled cohort studies (PCCS) reporting on MBL changes at implants with PS-, compared with PM-implant-abutment connections, published between 2005 and June 2013., Results: Twenty-two publications were eligible for the systematic review. The qualitative analysis of 15 RCTs and seven PCCS revealed more studies (13 RCTs and three PCCS) showing a significantly less mean marginal bone loss around implants with PS- compared to PM-implant-abutment connections, indicating a clear tendency favoring the PS technique. A meta-analysis including 13 RCTs revealed a significantly less mean MBL change (0.49 mm [CI95% 0.38; 0.60]) at PS implants, compared with PM implants (1.01 mm [CI95% 0.62; 1.40] (P < 0.0001)., Conclusions: The meta-analysis revealed a significantly less mean MBL change at implants with a PS compared to PM-implant-abutment configuration. Studies included herein showed an unclear as well as high risk of bias mostly, and relatively short follow-up periods. The qualitative analysis revealed a tendency favoring the PS technique to prevent or minimize peri-implant marginal bone loss compared with PM technique. Due to heterogeneity of the included studies, their results require cautious interpretation., (© 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: In male birds, influence of the sex steroid hormone testosterone and its estrogenic metabolites on seasonal song behavior has been demonstrated for many species. In contrast, female song was only recently recognized to be widespread among songbird species, and to date, sex hormone effects on singing and brain regions controlling song development and production (song control nuclei) have been studied in females almost exclusively using domesticated canaries (Serinus canaria). However, domesticated female canaries hardly sing at all in normal circumstances and exhibit only very weak, if any, song seasonally under the natural photoperiod. By contrast, adult female European robins (Erithacus rubecula) routinely sing during the winter season, a time when they defend feeding territories and show elevated circulating testosterone levels. We therefore used wild female European robins captured in the fall to examine the effects of testosterone administration on song as well as on the anatomy and the transcriptome of the song control nucleus HVC (sic). The results obtained from female robins were compared to outcomes of a similar experiment done in female domesticated canaries., Results: Testosterone treatment induced abundant song in female robins. Examination of HVC transcriptomes and histological analyses of song control nuclei showed testosterone-induced differentiation processes related to neuron growth and spacing, angiogenesis and neuron projection morphogenesis. Similar effects were found in female canaries treated with testosterone. In contrast, the expression of genes related to synaptic transmission was not enhanced in the HVC of testosterone treated female robins but was strongly up-regulated in female canaries. A comparison of the testosterone-stimulated transcriptomes indicated that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) likely functions as a common mediator of the testosterone effects in HVC., Conclusions: Testosterone-induced singing of female robins correlated with cellular differentiation processes in the HVC that were partially similar to those seen in the HVC of testosterone-treated female canaries. Other modes of testosterone action, notably related to synaptic transmission, appeared to be regulated in a more species-specific manner in the female HVC. Divergent effects of testosterone on the HVC of different species might be related to differences between species in regulatory mechanisms of the singing behavior.

Doublecortin (DCX) is an important microtubule-associated protein involved in the migration of young neurons into the cortical layers of the brain during early human development. The continued expression of DCX in brain areas with protracted neuron recruitment has promoted this endogenous protein as a popular indirect tool to monitor adult neurogenesis in a variety of species. However, little is known about its possible involvement in other cellular processes and a thorough validation of DCX as a quantitative measure for neurogenesis is generally lacking. Here we investigated the relationship between DCX expression and neuron recruitment in the brains of adult canaries (Serinus canaria), a species well-known for its adult neurogenesis. We examined the age and functional state of DCX-labeled cells by using mitotic and neuron-specific markers, retrograde tracings, and immediate early gene colocalizations. Although DCX expression was high in brain areas implicated in adult neurogenesis, DCX-expressing neurons were also abundant in regions that do not recruit new neurons. Moreover, DCX expression was observed in adult, active neurons, differentiated projection neurons, and birth-dated neurons of up to 1 year of age. Season and testosterone treatment affected DCX expression in two song control nuclei, HVC and Area X, but did not correlate with known patterns of neuron recruitment. Together, these results demonstrate that DCX expression is not exclusive to young migrating neurons, and does not predict neuron recruitment equally throughout the canary brain. Therefore, DCX labeling needs careful validation for each brain region separately in each species analyzed when used to quantify adult neurogenesis., (Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Syphilis is an infectious, usually sexually transmitted, disease caused by Treponema pallidum, subspecies pallidum. Because of the increasing prevalence in Europe during the past few years, dentists could be confronted with patients with oral manifestations of syphilis. Because oral lesions are highly contagious, it is vital to make the correct diagnosis quickly to initiate the proper therapy and to interrupt the chain of infection. We present the cases of 5 patients with syphilis-related oral lesions. These cases are representative because of their clinical presentation, age, and gender distribution and the diagnostic approach. The aim of the present report is to emphasize the importance of the dentist knowing and identifying syphilis in different stages to diagnose the disease and institute treatment at an early stage., (Copyright © 2014 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

During song learning, vocal patterns are matched to an auditory memory acquired from a tutor, a process involving sensorimotor feedback. Song sensorimotor learning and song production of birds is controlled by a set of interconnected brain nuclei, the song control system. In male zebra finches, the beginning of the sensorimotor phase of song learning parallels an increase of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in just one part of the song control system, the forebrain nucleus HVC. We report here that transient BDNF-mRNA upregulation in the HVC results in a maximized copying of song syllables. Each treated bird shows motor learning to an extent similar to that of the selected best learners among untreated zebra finches. Because this result was not found following BDNF overexpression in the target areas of HVC within the song system, HVC-anchored mechanisms are limiting sensorimotor vocal learning., (© 2013 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

A young mother presented her 19-month-old boy to the general practitioner (GP) with a 24&emsp14;h history of reluctance to stand or walk and a slightly raised temperature. The GP arranged an assessment by the paediatrician, who organised an ultrasound of the hips which was normal. Approximately 1&emsp14;week later the patient became constipated as well, was seen again by another GP but no cause was found. Another week later mother consulted the initial GP again as the boy had not shown any signs of improvement and had become more irritable. The GP arranged a review by the paediatrician and MRI scans of the hips and back were performed. These scans showed normal hips but lumbar spine changes suggestive of a spondylodiscitic event. The patient was treated with intravenous antibiotics, a corset and analgesia and made an excellent recovery.

Recently, a novel transmembrane protein was found to be up-regulated in the auditory learning pathway of birds and mammals. The protein, FnTm2, was predicted to have an extracellular fibronectin III (Fn3) domain and a single transmembrane domain. By contrast to other studied Fn3 domains the extracellular domain of FnTm2 bears several cysteine residues, which are predicted to form disulfide bonds. The Fn3 domain of the FnTm2 protein was expressed in DH5-α Escherichia coli (E. coli) cells, purified and characterized by circular dichroism (CD). In order to identify binding partners to Fn3, the isolated protein was incubated with bird brain lysate for a pull down treatment. Of the proteins recognized, myelin basic protein (MBP) was identified as a bona fide partner; it was further characterized for binding to Fn3 in vitro via fluorescence spectroscopy and confirmed via isothermal calorimetry (ITC)., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Zebra finch males learn their song by imitation, a process influenced by social variables. The neural pathways for acquisition and production of learned song are known, but the cellular and molecular underpinnings are not. Here we describe a novel gene named "FnTm2" ("Phantom 2") that is predicted to encode a small protein (220 aa) with a single fibronectin type III domain and a single transmembrane domain. This gene shows great variability in its expression in song system neurons of the anterior forebrain pathway (AFP), a circuit that influences song discrimination and is necessary for normal song acquisition. AFP nuclei that express FnTm2 include the nucleus HVC (its Area X-projecting neurons), Area X, and LMAN (core and shell). FnTm2 expression does not correlate with singing behavior like the immediate early gene ZENK. It is expressed variably during sleeping hours and is not dependent on an intact song circuit. FnTm2's expression is sensitive to hearing, because in deafened birds its expression is substantially reduced in the core of LMAN. Furthermore, a comparison of FnTm2 expression between mice and zebra finches revealed a conserved pattern of expression in the "limbic system." We suggest that FnTm2 may be sensitive to affective and/or attentional states and thus may provide insights on how social variables influence the production and discrimination of learned vocalizations., ((c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)

Vocal learning and neuronal replacement have been studied extensively in songbirds, but until recently, few molecular and genomic tools for songbird research existed. Here we describe new molecular/genomic resources developed in our laboratory. We made cDNA libraries from zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) brains at different developmental stages. A total of 11,000 cDNA clones from these libraries, representing 5,866 unique gene transcripts, were randomly picked and sequenced from the 3' ends. A web-based database was established for clone tracking, sequence analysis, and functional annotations. Our cDNA libraries were not normalized. Sequencing ESTs without normalization produced many developmental stage-specific sequences, yielding insights into patterns of gene expression at different stages of brain development. In particular, the cDNA library made from brains at posthatching day 30-50, corresponding to the period of rapid song system development and song learning, has the most diverse and richest set of genes expressed. We also identified five microRNAs whose sequences are highly conserved between zebra finch and other species. We printed cDNA microarrays and profiled gene expression in the high vocal center of both adult male zebra finches and canaries (Serinus canaria). Genes differentially expressed in the high vocal center were identified from the microarray hybridization results. Selected genes were validated by in situ hybridization. Networks among the regulated genes were also identified. These resources provide songbird biologists with tools for genome annotation, comparative genomics, and microarray gene expression analysis.

Gene expression data are most useful if they can be associated with specific cell types. This is particularly so in an organ such as the brain, where many different cell types lie in close proximity to each other. We used zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata), fluorescent tracers and laser capture microdissection (LCM) to collect projection neurons and their RNAs from two interspersed populations from the same animal. RNA amplified from each cell class was reverse transcribed, fluorescently labeled, and hybridized to cDNA microarrays of genes expressed in the zebra finch brain. We applied strict fold-expression criteria, supplemented by statistical analysis, to single out genes that showed the most extreme and consistent differential expression between the two cell classes. Confirmation of the true expression pattern of these genes was made by in situ hybridization and Taqman quantitative PCR (qPCR). High quality RNA was obtained, too, from backfilled neurons birth-dated with bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU). We also quantified changes in the levels of three genes after singing behavior using qPCR. Thus, we have brought together a combination of techniques allowing for the molecular profiling of intermingled populations of projection neurons of known connectivity, age and experience, which should constitute a powerful tool for CNS research.

In this paper we present a number of equilibrium partition constants for fluorotelomer alcohols and olefins among them data for air/water and octanol/air partitioning. These data are typically required for environmental fate modeling. Our data deviate substantially from those in the literature. A comprehensive check for consistency and plausibility strongly suggests that the data published here are correct. As a consequence the fluorotelomer alcohols will sorb much more to organic phases and have a smaller tendency to remain in the water phase than expected based on previous data. The presented partition data also allow us to derive descriptors for the various kinds of specific (e.g., H-bonds) and nonspecific (e.g., van der Waals) intermolecular interactions thatthe compounds can undergo. These descriptors can be used in polyparameter linear free energy relationships (pp-LFER) in orderto predict a large variety of other partition coefficients (e.g., air/solvent, solvent/ water) as well as the temperature dependence of their air/ water partitioning. The experimental and theoretical approach that we present here can serve as a general example for what needs to be done in order to ensure high quality physicochemical data for organic pollutants.

Might there be systematic differences in gene expression between neurons that undergo spontaneous replacement in the adult brain and those that do not? We first explored this possibility in the high vocal center (HVC) of male zebra finches by using a combination of neuronal tracers, laser capture microdissection, and RNA profiling. HVC has two kinds of projection neurons, one of which continues to be produced and replaced in adulthood. HVC neurons of the replaceable kind showed a consistent and robust underexpression of the deubiquitination gene ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal hydrolase (UCHL1) that is involved with protein degradation. Singing behavior, known to increase the survival of adult-born HVC neurons in birds, significantly up-regulated the levels of UCHL1 in the replaceable neurons but not in their equally active nonreplaceable counterparts. We then looked in the mouse brain and found relatively low UCHL1 expression in granule neurons of the hippocampus and olfactory bulb, two well characterized types of replaceable neurons in mammals. UCHL1 dysfunction has been associated with neurodegeneration in Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and Huntington's disease patients. In all these instances, reduced UCHL1 function may jeopardize the survival of CNS neurons.

Purpose: To compare the prevalence of cataract in workers exposed to trinitrotoluene (TNT) to the prevalence in a group of unexposed workers, matched on age and sex, using Tiukina's description and grading of TNT-induced cataract., Methods: A total of 23 TNT-exposed and 44 unexposed workers underwent an eye examination performed by an ophthalmologist who did not know the exposure status of the subjects. All lens opacities matching Tiukina's description were classified as TNT cataract and graded on Tiukina's scale of stages 1-4., Results: Four cases of TNT-induced cataract were identified among the 23 TNT-exposed workers and none in the unexposed group (p < 0.01)., Conclusion: Exposure to TNT may cause a unique type of cataract, which a general ophthalmologist, using Tiukina's description and grading scale, will be able to distinguish from other cataracts.

Background: Activin A, the homodimer of the activin/inhibin betaA subunit, has been shown to participate in cutaneous wound healing. In this study we intended to determine its part in gastric ulceration., Methods: Activin A expression was studied by immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization in acetic-acid-induced chronic gastric ulcers in rat. The dynamics of this process were also assessed by quantitative real time RT-PCR and RNase protection assays (RPA). The effects of different doses of this cytokine on epithelial and mesenchymal cell proliferation were quantitated in vitro., Results: Low amounts of activin A and its mRNA were expressed by epithelia, endothelia and fibroblasts in intact gastric tissue. Granulation tissue of gastric ulcers and gastric glands adjacent to the ulcer rim expressed markedly increased amounts of activin protein as well as activin/inhibin betaA mRNA. RPA and RT-PCR studies revealed a more than 3-fold increase in the relative abundance of this mRNA. Activin A did not affect the proliferation rate of fibroblasts and epithelial cells in vitro., Conclusions: Activin A participates in gastric ulcer healing in a similar fashion as in cutaneous wounding. Its expression on protein and mRNA level is markedly increased in ulcer base and rim.

The Nrf-1 and Nrf-2 transcription factors play a pivotal role in the cellular defence against the toxic effects of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Although ROS are key effectors of neuronal death after ischaemic and traumatic brain injury, it is not known whether Nrf-1 and Nrf-2 are involved in neuroprotective signalling. Here, we analysed the temporal and spatial expression pattern of Nrf-1 and Nrf-2 after unilateral excitotoxic lesion of mouse hippocampus. In marked contrast to previous in vitro studies, where upregulation of these transcription factors on the mRNA level was never detected, we found a strong induction of Nrf-1 mRNA and protein expression in neurons of the lesioned hippocampus, accompanied by a weak elevation of Nrf-2 mRNA levels. Nrf-1 predominantly localized to the nucleus in the injured hippocampus. Furthermore, expression of the cytoprotective enzyme, heme oxygenase-1, a major target of Nrf-1 and Nrf-2 action, was coregulated with Nrf-1 in the same hippocampal neurons, suggesting that Nrf-1 is functionally active. Because Nrf-1 and Nrf-2 are potent inducers of various cytoprotective proteins, our data suggest a role of Nrf-1 and Nrf-2 in neuronal survival after acute brain injury.

A recent study from our laboratory demonstrated a strong upregulation of activin expression during cutaneous wound healing. To further analyze the role of activin A in skin morphogenesis and wound repair, we generated transgenic mice that overexpress activin A under the control of the keratin 14 promoter. The latter targets expression of transgenes to the basal, proliferating layer of the epidermis. Hetero- as well as homozygous transgenic animals were viable and fertile. However, they were smaller than non-transgenic littermates and they had smaller ears and shorter tails. Histological analysis of their skin revealed dermal hyperthickening, mainly due to the replacement of fatty tissue by connective tissue, and an increase in suprabasal, partially differentiated epidermal layers. After cutaneous injury, a strong enhancement of granulation tissue formation was observed. Furthermore, the extent of re-epithelialization was increased in some of the wounds. These data demonstrate that activin A is a potent stimulator of the wound healing process. Using an in vivo model of local brain injury, we found that activin A also plays a significant role in the early cellular response to neuronal damage. Expression of activin mRNA and protein is markedly upregulated within a few hours of injury. If applied exogenously, recombinant activin A is capable of rescuing neurons from acute cell death. Studying the interaction between bFGF, a well-established neuroprotective agent, which is currently being tested in stroke patients, and activin A, we arrived at the unexpected conclusion that it is the strong induction of activin A by bFGF which endows the latter with its beneficial actions in patients. These findings suggest that the development of substances directly targeting activin expression or receptor binding should offer new possibilities in the acute treatment of stroke and brain trauma.

Exogenous application of neurotrophic growth factors has emerged as a new and particularly promising approach not only to promote functional recovery after acute brain injury but also to protect neurons against the immediate effect of the injury. Among the various growth factors and cytokines studied so far, the neuroprotective and neurotrophic profile of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) is the best documented. Using an animal model of acute excitotoxic brain injury, we report here that the neuroprotective action of bFGF, which is now being tested in stroke patients, depends on the induction of activin A, a member of the transforming growth factor-beta superfamily. Our evidence for this previously unknown mechanism of action of bFGF is that bFGF strongly enhanced lesion-associated induction of activin A; in the presence of the activin-neutralizing protein follistatin, bFGF was no longer capable of rescuing neurons from excitotoxic death; and recombinant activin A exerted a neuroprotective effect by itself. Our data indicate that the development of substances influencing activin expression or receptor binding should offer new ways to fight neuronal loss in ischemic and traumatic brain injury.

Astroglial cells contribute to neuronal maintenance and function in the normal and diseased brain. Gap junctions formed predominantly by connexin43 (cx43) provide important pathways to coordinate astroglial responses. We have previously shown that fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-2, which occurs ubiquitously in the CNS, downregulates gap junction communication in cortical and striatal, but not in mesencephalic astroglial cells in vitro (Reuss et al. Glia 22:19-30, 1998). Other members of the FGF family expressed in the CNS include FGF-5 and FGF-9. We show that both FGF-5 and FGF-9, like FGF-2, downregulate astroglial gap junctions and functional coupling. However, their effects are strikingly different from different brain regions, with regard to astroglial cells. FGF-5 specifically affects mesencephalic astroglial cells without changing coupling of cortical and striatal astroglia, while FGF-9 reduces gap junctional coupling in astroglia from all three brain regions. Both cx43 mRNA and protein levels as well as functional coupling assessed by dye spreading are affected. To clarify whether brain region-specific effects of FGFs on astroglial coupling are due to differential expression of FGF receptors (FGFR), we monitored expression of the four known FGFR mRNAs in astroglial cultures by RT-PCR. Irrespective of their regional origin, astroglial cells express mRNAs for FGFR-2 and FGFR-3. In summary, our results provide evidence for an important role of FGF-2, -5, and -9 in a distinct, CNS region-specific regulation mechanism of astroglial gap junction communication. The molecular basis underlying the regionally distinct responsiveness of astrocytes to different FGFs may be sought beyond distinct FGFR expression., (Copyright 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)

Recent studies have suggested a role of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) in repair processes of the skin as well as in various types of fibrotic disease. However, a function of this molecule in central nervous system (CNS) repair has not been demonstrated yet. In this study we analysed the temporal and spatial expression pattern of CTGF after unilateral kainic acid lesions of the hippocampal CA3 region in mice. We found a strong induction of CTGF mRNA and protein expression in neurons and glial cells of the lesioned hippocampus. Interestingly, increased expression of this mitogen was accompanied by elevated levels of the extracellular matrix molecule fibronectin, which is a known target of CTGF action. Therefore, our data indicate a novel function of CTGF in postlesional restructuring of the hippocampus, where it possibly participates in glial scar formation.

Based on results of holter ecg recordings taken from 38 dogs the computerized analyses system turned out as method not exactly valuing the frequency and sensitivity of arrhythmias. Despite there was a significant correlation between the computerized and visual arrhythmia analysis for ventricular respectively supraventricular premature beats, in individual cases there was an important aberration between the particular values.

When St. Joseph's Hospital in St. Paul, MN, owned and operated by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, joined the ecumenical HealthEast healthcare system in 1987, many observers were skeptical of the venture's success. But an emphasis on their shared Judeo-Christian values has enabled the Catholic, Lutheran, and Baptist facilities to build a strong system. The beginnings of the merger were difficult, as facilities closed, others expanded their services, and staff shifted between them. An open communications policy between HealthEast leaders and staff members and dedication to the mission of healthcare that all the system facilities shared helped blend denominational identity and traditions at each member hospital and establish a corporate identity. The HealthEast system has adopted some of St. Joseph's policies and practices, particularly in the areas of mission, ethics, and spiritual care. HealthEast St. Joseph's has also benefited from being part of the HealthEast system, gaining a more diverse staff respectful of each others' beliefs, expanded spiritual care, and the means to continue serving its community. HealthEast plans to discontinue inpatient services at HealthEast St. Joseph's in downtown St. Paul and build a suburban facility, but the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet are working with HealthEast to assess the downtown community's healthcare needs, especially among the homeless and immigrant populations, and ensure those needs will continue to be met.

Holter monitoring was obtained from 44 clinically normal dogs and 68 dogs with heart disease or being suspicious for a cardiopathy. Several employments of the holter monitoring are shown by means of some examples. This method proved to be effective in the diagnosis of syncopes and the review of the therapy of arrhythmias. Limits and difficulties are discussed.

Although calcification and degeneration are recognized as the main causes of bioprosthetic heart valve failure, the reasons for such failure are not well understood. Hidden tissue anomalies in the valves may be the origin of later calcification. Application of hologram interferometry for non-destructive testing enables the detection of such tissue anomalies. A comparative study by holographic interferometry of ten porcine bioprosthetic valves (seven Carpentier-Edwards SAV, two BioImplant and one Valcor) with five human aortic valves before and after glutaraldehyde treatment is presented. Whereas irregularities were detected in the interferograms of eight out of ten bioprostheses, no similar distorted fringe pattern was found in the holographic interferograms of human specimens. The present results suggest that tissue abnormalities exist in standard bioprosthetic valves which are absent in human ones. These irregularities may be the origin of later calcification and valvular dysfunction.

We report the simultaneous use of europium-DTPA (Eu-DTPA) and samarium-DTPA (Sm-DTPA) in cytotoxicity experiments to analyze simultaneously LAK and NK cell lysis and to differentiate between specific target lysis and bystander killing. The target cells were either labelled with Eu-DTPA or Sm-DTPA chelates by electroporation, which permits the use of target cell lines or primary leukemic B cells (B-CLL) that cannot be labelled by the conventional dextran-sulphate method. The release of europium and samarium reaches a maximum at comparable time intervals (2-3 h). Due to the shorter counting interval within the samarium window the labelling efficiency is about ten times less efficient compared to europium. Using europium as label for the LAK target Daudi and samarium as label for the NK sensitive cell line K562 the differentiation of LAK versus NK activity can be performed in a single culture assay. Also, the killing of B cells and bystander cells by cytotoxic T cells was analyzed in a system where T cells were redirected to B cells through CD3 x CD19 bispecific antibodies. In fact, no bystander killing was noted when bispecific antibodies were used to bridge cytotoxic T cells to the B cells. This approach provides a simple non-radioactive method for evaluating cytotoxicity against two different cells in a single culture well.

In the present work we show with different binding assays chicken gizzard myoglobin is able to bind fatty acids and bromosulphophthalein (BSP) in vitro. The fatty acid binding depends on the oxygenation of the myoglobin. Freshly prepared chicken gizzard, chicken or bovine heart myoglobin have a high fatty acid binding capability. However, when oxy-myoglobin in converted to met-myoglobin by dialysis against acidic buffer at high ionic strength (or when commercially available myoglobins are used) a 60-70% lower fatty acid binding capacity is found. Like bovine serum albumin (BSA), gizzard myoglobin has the highest affinity for unsaturated fatty acids and a lower affinity for saturated fatty acids or dyes. Chicken gizzard smooth muscle myoglobin may function as an additional fatty acid binding protein in vivo.

Dysfunction of prosthetic heart valves is a common complication after heart valve replacement, affecting both biologic and mechanical prostheses. A preoperative, non-destructive test of each individual valve may help to prevent the implantation of a valve which has material weaknesses. To this end we developed a technique for testing heart valve prostheses by holographic interferometry. The advantage of this technique is that it provides a non-contact, non-destructive, highly sensitive three dimensional analysis of the valve under loading. Samples of several mechanical and biologic valve substitutes were investigated. Deformations of the valve, due to small pressure differences applied to the samples in a specially developed test chamber, were recorded by double exposure holography. A fringe pattern superimposed on the image of the valve reconstructed from the hologram clearly indicates the presence of even the slightest defect in the valve material. Our experimental results demonstrate the ability of non-destructive holographic screening testing to detect defects or weaknesses which may potentially lead to dysfunction in replacement valves.