METHODS: This study proposed the use of glass beads as a modification of the routine protocol for sputum preparation used in the Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Mycobacteria at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Brazil. The study comprised 120 sputum samples, 60 of which were treated with the routine protocol, while 60 were treated with the modified protocol using glass beads.
RESULTS: Samples treated with the routine protocol had a sensitivity of 56.7% (95%Cl 44.1-69.2) selleck compound in 16S rRNA PCR and 81.7% (95%CI
71.9-91.5) in insertion sequence (IS) 6110 PCR, compared with culture. Samples treated with the modified protocol had a sensitivity of 73.3% (95%CI 62.1-84.5) in 16S rRNA PCR and 100% in IS6110 PCR.
CONCLUSION: The modified protocol using glass beads greatly improved mycobacterial detection in sputum samples compared with the routine protocol.”
“IntroductionDespite routine use of umbilical cord blood (CB) grafts as stem cell source for allogeneic stem cell transplantations, much remains unknown regarding their cell composition and correlation with clinical outcome.
MethodsWe analyzed material from 30 CB units used for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation by multicolor flow cytometry. Phenotypic data were correlated with various clinical outcomes such as survival, graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), relapse, rejection, viral reactivation, and bacteremia.
ResultsWe found that above-median
frequencies of CD69+ T cells, naive CD8+ T cells, and AZD8055 manufacturer CD127+ B cells in the CB selleck graft were each associated with significantly improved patient survival. Moreover, a statistically significant correlation
was seen between higher levels of CD94+ T cells and herpes simplex virus and varicella zoster virus reactivation post transplantation. A similar correlation was seen for the frequency of CD95+ cells in total CD3+, as well as CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell subsets, and viral reactivation. Finally, a higher frequency of naive CD8+ T cells was associated with the incidence of acute GVHD.
ConclusionOur study highlights the importance of further exploration of graft composition before CB transplantation as a tool for risk prediction.”
“Background: Donor muscles are often highly stretched in tendon transfer surgery. Despite literature reports that showed adaptation of the serial sarcomere number to moderate stretch, little is known regarding adaptation to stretch outside of the physiological range (commonly seen in clinical tendon transfer). This study was performed to evaluate muscle-tendon-unit adaptation to tendon transfer surgery in an animal model.
Methods: Thirty-seven male New Zealand White rabbits were used for muscle analysis, and twenty-five of those rabbits were also used for biological analysis of the tendons after the experiment. The extensor digitorum muscle of the second toe was transferred at a specific sarcomere length of 3.