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Patients with hairy cell leukemia seem to be prone to infections with mycobacteria. This report describes a patient with hairy cell leukemia and pulmonary infection as well as disseminated cutaneous infection caused by Mycobacterium malmoense cultured from sputum and skin scrapings on Loewenstein-Jensen medium in eight weeks. Despite multiresistance of the causative strain, the infection was successfully treated with ethambutol, cycloserine and isoniazid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Approximately one-third of Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) patients eventually develop distant metastatic disease. Little is known about whether the location of the primary lesion is predictive of initial distant metastatic site, or if survival likelihood differs depending on the metastatic site. Such data could inform imaging/surveillance practices and improve prognostic accuracy. Multivariate and competing-risk analyses were performed on a cohort of 215 MCC patients with distant metastases, 31% of whom had two or more initial sites of distant metastasis. At time of initial distant metastasis in the 215 patients, metastatic sites (n = 305) included non-regional lymph nodes (present in 41% of patients), skin/body wall (25%), liver (23%), bone (21%), pancreas (8%), lung (7%), and brain (5%). Among the 194 patients who presented with MCC limited to local or regional sites (stage I-III) but who ultimately developed distant metastases, distant progression occurred in 49% by 1 year and in 80% by 2 years following initial diagnosis. Primary MCC locations differed in how likely they were to metastasize to specific organs/sites (P < .001). For example, liver metastases were far more likely from a head/neck primary (43% of 58 patients) versus a lower limb primary (5% of 39 patients; P < .0001). Skin-only distant metastasis was associated with lower MCC-specific mortality as compared to metastases in multiple organs/sites (HR 2.7; P = .003), in the liver (HR 2.1; P = .05), or in distant lymph nodes (HR 2.0; P = .045). These data reflect outcomes before PD1-pathway inhibitor availability, which may positively impact survival. In conclusion, primary MCC location is associated with a pattern of distant spread, which may assist in optimizing surveillance. Because it is linked to survival, the site of initial distant metastasis should be considered when assessing prognosis., (© 2019 The Authors. Cancer Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The role of hyaluronan (HA) in periodontal healing has been speculated via its interaction with the CD44 receptor. While HA-CD44 interactions have previously been implicated in numerous cell types; effect and mechanism of exogenous HA on periodontal ligament (PDL) cells is less clear. Herein, we examine the effect of exogenous HA on contractility and migration in human and murine PDL cells using arrays of microposts and time-lapse microscopy. Our findings observed HA-treated human PDL cells as more contractile and less migratory than untreated cells. Moreover, the effect of HA on contractility and focal adhesion area was abrogated when PDL cells were treated with Y27632, an inhibitor of rho-dependent kinase, but not when these cells were treated with ML-7, an inhibitor of myosin light chain kinase. Our results provide insight into the mechanobiology of PDL cells, which may contribute towards the development of therapeutic strategies for periodontal healing and tissue regeneration.

Insulin growth factor 1 (IGF1) is a major anabolic signal that is essential during skeletal development, cellular adhesion and migration. Recent transcriptomic studies have shown that there is an upregulation in IGF1 expression in calvarial osteoblasts derived from patients with single-suture craniosynostosis (SSC). Upregulation of the IGF1 signaling pathway is known to induce increased expression of a set of osteogenic markers that previously have been shown to be correlated with contractility and migration. Although the IGF1 signaling pathway has been implicated in SSC, a correlation between IGF1, contractility and migration has not yet been investigated. Here, we examined the effect of IGF1 activation in inducing cellular contractility and migration in SSC osteoblasts using micropost arrays and time-lapse microscopy. We observed that the contractile forces and migration speeds of SSC osteoblasts correlated with IGF1 expression. Moreover, both contractility and migration of SSC osteoblasts were directly affected by the interaction of IGF1 with IGF1 receptor (IGF1R). Our results suggest that IGF1 activity can provide valuable insight for phenotype-genotype correlation in SSC osteoblasts and might provide a target for therapeutic intervention., (© 2016. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.)

Peripheral blood lymphocytes from six untreated patients with Hodgkin's disease were exposed to various doses of ionizing radiation in vitro and thereafter tested for reactivity to PHA and ConA using DNA synthesis as a marker of viability. While the responsiveness of Hodgkin's disease lymphocytes was abolished by moderate radiation doses, the proliferative activity of healthy controls' lymphocytes was reduced in a biphasic fashion suggesting the presence of one relatively radiation-sensitive and one relatively resistant cell population.

Nalidixic acid and lactulose, respectively, were compared with placebo in a controlled double-blind study in 43 patients with bacteriologically verified shigellosis. All the strains were susceptible to nalidixic acid. Treatment with nalidixic acid resulted in cure in 72%, which was a significantly better result than with placebo (cure in 21%).

A prospective study of acute diarrhoea was performed during 15 months 1981/1982 and included 731 patients and 240 controls. 43% had been infected abroad. A cluster of travellers with bacterial pathogens was diagnosed in July-August. The following pathogens were found: Campylobacter (18%), enterotoxigenic E. coli (6%), Salmonella spp. (5%), rotavirus (4%), Yersinia enterocolitica (3%), Giardia lamblia (3%), Shigella spp. (2%), Clostridium difficile (2%), enteroviruses (2%) and Entamoeba histolytica (less than 1%). More than 90% of the bacterial or parasitic enteropathogens were detected in the first stool sample. Only 10% of the patients needed hospital treatment and for 97% oral fluids were sufficient. The median duration of diarrhoea was 9 days. No fatal cases occurred and only 2 cases of chronic bowel disease were detected.

Irradiation of human peripheral lymphocytes in vitro reduces their capacity to be triggered to DNA-synthesis by PHA in a two-dose shaped fashion suggesting the presence of one relatively radiation sensitive and one relatively resistant cell population. Intracavitary and external radiation therapy for carcinoma of the uterus and vagina, which reduced the lymphocyte counts by approximately 66 per cent, did not significantly change the ratio of these subpopulations, indicating that PHA-reactive cells cannot be grouped into radiation sensitive and resistant subpopulations.

The MIC-values of 73 bacterial strains isolated in Malmö from patients treated with netilmicin have been determined by the agar dilution method for five aminoglycosides: amikacin, gentamicin, netilmicin, sisomicin and tobramycin. The results are compared with those obtained with the disc diffusion method in another Swedish investigation, comprising 202 strains and with results obtained in other places. Among the strains isolated in the two Swedish investigations, Escherichia coli strains were most prevalent, 28 and 77 respectively, and in this group no important differences could be found except for sisomicin. The importance of the inoculum size was investigated in a separate study on 24 strains of the Malmö material. These strains had also been tested one year earlier, using another size of the inoculum. The comparison showed that an inoculum less than 10(4) colony forming units resulted in lower MIC-values.

49 newborns and infants were treated with netilmicin for verified or suspected infections. Infection was verified in 23 patients (mean gestational age 32 weeks and mean body weight 2100 g) and clinical cure or marked improvement occurred in 20 of these. Of the remaining 3 patients, 2 died, partly due to reasons unassociated with infection. 25 causative organisms were isolated and bacteriological elimination was achieved in 73% of the cases. At an average dose of 2.6 mg/kg twice a day, peak serum concentrations (30 min following injection) were 7.4 +/- 3.4 micrograms/ml. Serum half life was approximately 4.5 hours for infants born at term, and longer at shorter gestational age. Netilmicin is considered a safe and efficient aminoglycoside with a low rate of adverse effects.

Pivmecillinam which is the oral form of mecillinam was evaluated by treatment of 26 patients presenting various types of urinary tract infections and by prophylactic treatment of 12 patients. Pivmecillinam given in a daily dosage of 1.2 g for periods of 1 to 56 weeks was well tolerated in all of the patients including those with impaired renal function without any dose reduction. The original bacterial strain in the urine was eradicated in 100% of the cases. Two patients had a superinfection and 4 had a recurrence during a 3-month follow-up period. The oral absorption of pivmecillinam was investigated in 15 patients with normal or slightly reduced renal function and in 5 patients on maintenance hemodialysis. High serum levels were achieved within 1 to 2 h after administration. Patients with reduced renal function showed retarded elimination rates, suggesting that the dose should be adjusted in this category of patients.

PWM-induced in vitro Ig synthesis was measured in cell cultures containing B lymphocytes from healthy controls and T lymphocytes collected from breast cancer patients before and after radiotherapy, respectively. The amounts of IgG and IgM did not differ between these two types of cultures. Lymphoid cell suspensions containing 3-5% monocytes were irradiated with 13 Gy and co-cultured with non-irradiated B lymphocytes. The PWM induced production of IgG and IgM in these cultures was decreased as compared to non-irradiated controls.

The efficacy and toxicity of netilmicin, a new semisynthetic aminoglycoside, was clinically evaluated in fifty-two patients with moderate to severe infections with Gram-negative rods or Staph. aureus. Average duration of treatment was 14 days and mean total dose 2,960 mg. One-hour mean value of netilmicin serum concentration was 6.4 microgram/ml and mean trough value 1.2 microgram/ml. Forty-four patients were cured or improved. In twenty-one of them the effect could be attributed to netilmicin alone; the other twenty-three had a combined therapy. No improvement took place in five, but four of them could not be regarded as netilmicin failure. One patient with Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection was possible failure. The sensitivity of the causative bacteria to netilmicin was studied and compared with amikacin, gentamicin, sisomicin and tobramycin. Vestibular function and hearing acuity was thoroughly examined by electronystagmography and audiography. Drug-related VIIIth nerve damage could not be confirmed in any of our patients. Five patients showed a rise of serum creatinine of 30 mumol/l. This shows that netilmicin, similar to other aminoglycosides, is a potential nephrotoxic drug. Netilmicin appears to be an efficacious aminoglycoside and the oto- and nephrotoxicity is low, if careful attention is paid to the renal function and the serum concentrations of the drug.

29 patients with serious renal or urinary tract infections were treated with netilmicin (initial dose 1.5 mg/kg twice daily). All but two patients were bacteriologically cured and responded well clinically. 13 patients with initial renal impairment were analysed separately. Whereas the patients with initial normal renal function did not show any increase of serum creatinine levels during and after treatment, the patients with renal impairment showed a significant increase of serum creatinine during the course of treatment, but no clinical signs of renal function deterioration. During the follow-up period (18 months), serum creatinine values in all cases but one returned to the pretreatment levels. Thus, the investigation revealed that netilmicin had a good clinical and bacteriological effect without signs of persistent renal damage.