Comparison of various surgical approaches for extensive bilateral colorectal liver metastases.

PURPOSE: Tailored operative strategies have been proposed for patients with bilobar colorectal liver metastases (CLM). The aim of the study was to evaluate the long-term outcome, safety and efficacy, including cancer-specific survival, morbidity, and mortality, of three different surgical strategies for extensive bilateral CLM. METHODS: This is a retrospective study of a prospective database of 356 consecutive patients, who underwent hepatic resection due to CLM between January 2003 and January 2009. Fifty-nine patients underwent three different therapeutic approaches: 22 patients with portal vein embolization (PVE) + staged resections, 11 patients with staged resections solely, and 26 patients with an extensive liver resection and simultaneous or subsequent radiofrequency ablation (RFA). RESULTS: The three groups were comparable regarding their general patient characteristics. The overall morbidity and mortality rates were 27.1 and 1.7 %, respectively. There were no significant differences in morbidity, mortality, or survival between the three groups. The median survival of all patients was 48 months, with a recurrence-free survival of 30 months. CONCLUSIONS: The clearance of bilobar CLM can be achieved by various strategies, all of them providing an acceptable mortality rate and survival for the patients. Therefore, patients with bilobar liver metastases should receive a procedure tailored for their individual extent of disease.

Effectiveness of extruded rapeseed associated with an alfalfa protein concentrate in enhancing the bovine milk fatty acid composition.

Linseed and rapeseed, good sources of 18:3 n-3 and cis9-18:1, respectively, have been shown to improve the bovine milk fatty acid (FA) profile. However, rapeseed, unlike linseed, has little effect on the concentration of 18:3 n-3 in milk fat. Alfalfa protein concentrate (APC), besides being a valuable protein source for milk production, contains lipids rich in 18:3 n-3. Therefore, this experiment aimed at (1) evaluating the transfer efficiency of unsaturated FA (UFA), especially 18:3 n-3, of APC to bovine milk fat, and (2) evaluating whether extruded rapeseed (ER) associated with APC is as effective as extruded linseed (EL) in enhancing the bovine milk fat composition. Six lactating Holstein cows were used in a replicated 2 × 2 Latin square design with 2 iso-energy, iso-nitrogen and iso-FA corn silage-based diets (EL and ER-APC) and two 21-d periods. Extruded linseed, as main UFA source, was included in the first diet, whereas ER, as main UFA source, and APC, as supplemental 18:3 n-3, were included in the second diet. Diets were distributed as a restricted total mixed ration. Compared with the EL diet, the ER-APC diet, where ER was associated with APC, increased milk concentration of 18:3 n-3 (1.18 vs. 1.31% of FA) and cis9-18:1 (18.35 vs. 20.01% of FA). The apparent transfer efficiency of 18:3 n-3 from diet to milk was almost twice as much for the ER-APC diet than for the EL diet (7.4 vs. 3.8% of intake). Extruded linseed accounted for 84% of 18:3 n-3 provided in the EL diet, whereas ER and APC accounted for 33 and 38% of 18:3 n-3 provided in the ER-APC diet, respectively. Because both EL and ER underwent extrusion in similar conditions, these results suggest that 18:3 n-3 of EL in the EL diet and ER in the ER-APC diet were subjected to more extensive ruminal biohydrogenation than 18:3 n-3 of APC in the ER-APC diet. This experiment shows that corn silage-based diets supplemented with ER as the main UFA source, associated with APC as supplemental 18:3 n-3, are as effective as corn silage-based diets supplemented with EL as the main UFA source, in increasing bovine milk UFA and 18:3 n-3 contents. Furthermore, at similar levels of dietary incorporation, this experiment shows that the ruminal bypass of 18:3 n-3 is higher for APC compared with EL.

Birth weight at high altitudes in Peru.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether birth weights are lower at high altitudes, and whether gestational age at birth and a population's length of residence mitigate the effect of high altitude. METHODS: The birth weights of 84,173 neonates recorded in the Peruvian Perinatal Information System Database were analyzed between 1995 and 2002 for the cities of Lima (150 m), Huancayo (3280 m), Cuzco (3400 m), and Juliaca (3800 m). RESULTS: Birth weight was lower at high altitude, but there was no linear relation between altitude of residence and birth weight. Mean birth weight was higher in Juliaca than in Huancayo. There were no significant differences between the 4 cities regarding birth weights of infants born between 28 and 35 weeks of gestation. However, for infants born between 36 and 42 weeks, birth weight was lower at higher altitudes. This may be due to inadequate maternal oxygenation later in pregnancy at high altitude. In the multivariate analysis, after controlling for maternal age, marital status, parity, body mass index, pre-eclampsia or hemorrhage during pregnancy, and education, as well as sex of the newborn and gestational age at birth, birth weight was lower in all cities located at a higher altitude than Lima. Yet, longer residence at high altitudes may play a protective role. Juliaca (3800 m), where the population has resided the longest, had the lowest reduction in birth weight compared with Lima (150 m); Cuzco had intermediate values; and Huancayo (3280 m), where the population has resided the shortest, had the highest reduction in birth weight. CONCLUSIONS: Birth weight reduction, which is independent of socioeconomic factors, occurs only in births at term and may be less severe in populations that have resided longer at high altitudes.

Protein traps: using intracellular localization for cloning.

A much-sought goal - the rapid cloning of genes whose protein products have specific intracellular localizations - has now been made possible. A visual screen of cells expressing fusions between coding DNA sequences and a reporter, such as green-fluorescent protein (GFP) or beta-galactosidase, identifies cells with the pattern of interest. The DNA sequences encoding these targeted fusions can then be cloned either directly from these cells or by repeated rounds of screening and subdivision of library pools. It is expected that systematic screenings based on these methods will identify additional components for every compartment and define new domains, thus facilitating a more comprehensive understanding of the cellular architecture.

Motif trap: a rapid method to clone motifs that can target proteins to defined subcellular localisations.

We have developed a rapid procedure termed Motif Trap (MT) to identify protein motifs that are able to target proteins to a distinct subcellular localisation in eukaryotic cells. By expressing random DNA fragments fused to green fluorescent protein (GFP), individual cells with the GFP localisation of interest are readily isolated allowing for the expressed DNA fragments to be cloned by RT-PCR. These can then be used to identify the corresponding full-length cDNAs. Using MT, we have identified patterns of GFP localisation which correspond to every major organelle and compartment. We have shown that MT is useful to identify new sequences that determine subcellular localisation as well as known targeting motifs.

Molecular cloning of an intronless gene for the hamster centromere antigen CENP-B.

Centromere protein B (CENP-B) is a DNA-binding protein present at both active and inactive centromeres. It was first localized at the kinetochore region by human autoimmune sera from CREST patients. Using a previously identified human cDNA we have isolated a genomic clone containing the complete hamster CENP-b intronless coding sequence. At the nucleotide level it was found to possess a high degree of homology with the human and mouse CENP-B genes, being 75% and 90% respectively. This codes for 606 amino acid residues, which represent seven more than the human and mouse centromeric proteins. Hamster CENP-B protein analysis revealed at the N-terminal region a 133 amino acid fragment of 100% homology to the DNA binding motif identified previously for the human autoantigen. Expression of hamster CENP-B during the cell cycle was analyzed by using a specific antiCENP-B serum generated against the C-terminal conserved region. These data indicate that CENP-B is highly conserved and it represents a universal component of the centromere structure and function in mammals.

Anticentromere antibody specific to human cells directed against the CENP-B autoantigen.

We describe the generation of a new antipeptide antibody that binds to the centromeric region of human mitotic chromosomes. This antibody was raised against a synthetic peptide corresponding to the 481-493 amino acid sequence of the human CENP-B autoantigen. Immunofluorescence analysis revealed that this anti-CENP-B serum showed an identical pattern to the human CREST anticentromere autoantibody in both mitotic cells and interphase nuclei. Immunoblotting showed that this antibody reacts with the recombinant human CENP-B autoantigen, indicating that it is directed to the 80-kDa centromere polypeptide. We have used this serum to determine, by indirect immunofluorescence, whether CENP-B is conserved in different mammalian species. Surprisingly, the human antipeptide antibody does not react with the centromeric proteins of cultured mouse, hamster, or Indian muntjac cells. Because the CENP-B gene has been cloned in human and mouse, our results suggest that the CENP-B epitope used as an immunogen in this study is not ubiquitous in mammalian cells, and that we have most probably established a monospecific antibody to the human centromere.

Monoclonal antibody with specificity to a conserved epitope in the C-terminal domain of histone H1 variants.

A monoclonal type M-immunoglobulin (IgM) was generated in mice against a nuclease-urea extract of HeLa metaphase chromosomes. This antibody stains metaphase chromosomes from a variety of mammalian cultured cell types by indirect immunofluorescence. Antibody 12C7 reacts by western transfer technique with histone H1 in all the cell lines tested. The antibody cross-reacts with H1, and H1(0) in human cells. Proteolytic digestions of H1 suggest that the epitope is localized in the carboxy-terminal domain of the histone H1 molecule. Digestion with trypsin demonstrates that the antibody 12C7 does not react with the globular domain of histone H1. The C-terminal domain of H1 subtypes therefore seems to have a conserved determinant which does exist in H1, H1(0), and probably in H5. This antibody has applications in studying the role of that domain of H1 in processes like chromosome condensation and variations in chromatin structure which influence gene expression.

Planificación familiar: Yanahurco-Ecuador 1996 / familiar Planning: Yanahurco-Ecuador 1996

Expone que la regulación de la natalidad en nuestro medio acarrea problemas y controversias médicas, legales y religiosas, que las diferentes sociedades las enfrentan de acuerdo a sus creencias, costumbres e idiosincracia. Es así que a través de encuestas aplicadas a 80 mujeres en edad fértil (MEF) del caserío de Yanahurco, encontramos que la planificación familiar lo realizan en el 74.9xcto de la población, de este porcentaje se determinó que el 60 por ciento tiene conocimiento de los diferentes métodos y el 40 por ciento no; ya que si bien es cierto que los programas son dirigidos hacia las mujeres éstas carecen de autonomía para tomar decisiones relativas al uso de anticonceptivos y son los esposos, los compañeros, los compañeros, las suegras las que escogen y deciden. Entre los méodos más utilizados tenemos el DIU con un 24.9 por ciento; métodos naturales 18.57 por ciento, métodos orales y de barrera 11.43 por ciento y métodos quirúrgicos 8.57 por ciento. Los métodos anticonceptivos no son inocuos; todos tienen un porcentaje de falla y riesgo, por lo tanto se deben dar a conocer las ventajas y desventajas de cada uno de ellos y según la motivación y la metodología que emplee para la educación y técnica en la utilización, dependerá el éxito o el fracaso de la planificación familiar.