Development of bioconjugated dye-doped poly(styrene-co-maleimide) nanoparticles as a new bioprobe.

Fluorescent dye-doped poly(styrene-co-maleimide) nanoparticles were synthesised and functionalized with amine groups and avidin and the dye-loading was varied. The nanoparticles showed great potential as bioprobes when conjugated with biotinylated antibodies.

NDM-1 imported from India--first reported case in South Africa.

Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae have been increasingly reported throughout the world. The first South African report of a New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase was from Gauteng in August 2011. Despite maintaining a high degree of vigilance, the first such case was seen in KwaZulu-Natal almost a year later. Other cases have been unable to confirm a definite link to any other affected areas; this is the first case in South Africa showing this direct epidemiological link.

Operational competency development in E and F grade nursing staff: preparation for management.

There is limited literature for operational management competency development in E and F grade nursing staff. These grades of nursing staff have to take over from G grade nurses ward managers on a regular basis. With human resources doing less of the operational management and taking more of an advisory role, nursing staff are now required to deal with disciplinary procedures and other management issues in a more consistent manner. Therefore, this development programme in a Scottish primary care NHS psychiatric service was designed to enable E and F grade nurses to take over from ward managers and to enable ward managers to 'succession plan' for times when they will be absent. The literature is reviewed, the background to the development programme described and the design of the development programme is explained. The results from both the pilot study (n=13) and first group (n=8) through the course are presented, evaluated discussed.

Complementary and alternative medicine in prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer patients, like other cancer patients as well as the general population, are increasingly exploring the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). This paper describes the use of CAM in this patient population and the evidence regarding some CAM treatments in the setting of prostate cancer. Some herbal agents and micronutrients have demonstrated biologic activity that may benefit patients with prostate cancer. The clinical effects of these and others and the potential interactions among CAM treatments and with conventional treatment remain an appropriate target for further investigation.

Epithelial-mesenchymal interaction and insulin-like growth factors in hyperoxic lung injury.

To investigate the role of epithelial-mesenchymal interaction on oxygen-induced lung injury, we used a coculture model with lung fibroblasts (FB) embedded between 2 layers of collagen gel with and without human tracheobronchial epithelial cells (HTBE), and studied the effect of hyperoxia on the directed migration of FB towards epithelial cells and proliferation of fetal lung FB. The expression of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I, -II, and -IIR mRNAs and proteins was studied in FB and HTBE cells cultured separately in 95% oxygen and 5% CO2 for 48 hours. There was a significant increase in directional migration of FB in coculture with epithelial cells when exposed to 95% oxygen and 5% CO2 (P = .04 compared to cocultures without oxygen exposure). Hyperoxia stimulated the proliferation of fibroblasts cocultured with HTBE cells (0.75 +/- 0.05 x 10(6) cells per well) as compared to control (0.47 +/- 0.03 x 10(6) cells per well; P = .01). This was inhibited by anti-IGF-I antibody (69 +/- 2% of hyperoxia alone; P = .002). Western blot showed a significant increase in IGF-I protein in epithelial cells (P = .02). IGF-I mRNA was increased in HTBE cells after hyperoxia (P = .003). In conclusion, HTBE cells modulate lung FB migration and proliferation in response to hyperoxia exposure. This is mediated in part by IGF-I produced by epithelial cells.

Effect of elastase on the directional migration of lung fibroblasts within a three-dimensional collagen matrix.

Interactions between airway epithelial cells and bronchial fibroblasts often require close proximity between these cells. Previous studies have demonstrated that airway epithelial cells direct the migration of lung fibroblasts, but the factors that regulate this process during airway injury are not clear. We hypothesized that exposure of culture substrates to proteolytic enzymes, like those present in the inflamed airway, would increase fibroblast recruitment. We also postulated that elastase might affect the epithelium's ability to attract fibroblasts. We used an in vitro model with fibroblasts embedded between two layers of collagen gel to investigate their migration. Embedded fibroblasts exposed to culture medium alone (baseline) had a slight downward migration (migration directed to the upper gel layer expressed as a percentage of total migration was -2.8 +/- 1.4), but medium supplemented with porcine pancreatic elastase (PPE) resulted in a slight upward migration (2.0 +/- 1.4). When airway epithelial cells were cultured on the upper gel surface, the index of directed migration toward them was 15.9 +/- 1.3. Addition of PPE to the culture medium resulted in a significant increase to 22.3 +/- 1.5 (p < .05). Human neutrophil elastase (HNE) produced similar results, and these effects were inhibited by alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor. Similarly, total fibroblasts per 20 high-powered fields were counted in all conditions, suggesting that mitogenic interactions were not important in this system. The percentage of the total fibroblasts migrating at least 5 microns in any direction was also similar in all groups, suggesting chemokinetic mechanisms were not involved. These data suggest that elastase exposure in a model of the human airway increases directed fibroblast migration through the extracellular matrix. This phenomenon may play a role in the development of subepithelial fibrosis seen in inflammatory airway diseases like asthma.

Hyperoxic exposure of developing rat lung decreases tropoelastin mRNA levels that rebound postexposure.

These studies were undertaken to determine whether tropoelastin message expression in lung parenchymal tissue is altered in rats reared in an hyperoxic environment during the period of time that alveolar septation normally occurs. Rat pups were exposed to > 95% oxygen from days 4 to 14 and killed during the exposure and recovery periods. Results of in situ hybridizations indicated a delay in peak tropoelastin (TE) message levels in oxygen-exposed rats vs. controls, day 16 vs. day 11, respectively. In addition, lung parenchymal TE mRNA levels in the oxygen-exposed pups remained elevated through day 23, 1 wk after TE mRNA levels had decreased in controls. These observations suggest that the regulatory control of elastin synthesis during lung alveolar septation is altered by hyperoxic exposure. In a separate experiment, rat pups were exposed to > 95% oxygen during the period of alveolarization and followed for 4 wk postexposure. Pulmonary function measurements were conducted to determine whether lung function was altered postexposure and, if so, whether recovery occurred. We also used stereological techniques to quantitate the total length of lung parenchymal elastic fibers to determine whether elastic fiber content in the oxygen-exposed pups was restored to normal levels during the month postexposure. Although the total length of elastic fibers in lung parenchyma was found to be greater in oxygen-exposed than control pups from postnatal days 22 to 41, pressure-volume curves indicated that lungs of the oxygen-exposed pups tended to be more compliant than controls, suggesting that abnormal elastic fiber assembly might have been a contributing factor.

Continuous protein separations in a magnetically stabilized fluidized bed using nonmagnetic supports.

Continuous protein separations were performed using a magnetically stabilized fluidized bed (MSFB) and a commercially available affinity adsorption resin that contained no magnetically susceptible material. These nonmagnetic materials can be stabilized at relatively low fields (<75 G requiring <30 W) if sufficient magnetically susceptible particles are also present in the stabilized bed. The minimum amount of magnetic particles necessary to stabilize the bed is as low as 20% by volume and is a function of various parameters including the size and density of both particles, the magnetic field strength, and the fluidization velocity. Advantages of these beds for performing separations include true continuous, countercurrent liquid-solids contact, mass-transfer efficiencies nearly equal to that of packed beds, and the ability of handle suspended cells or cell debris. A variety of commercially available affinity, ion-exchange, and adsorptive supports can be used in the bed for continuous separations; results are presented for the adsorption and recovery of lysozyme from an aqueous mixture of lysozyme and myoglobin using an affinity resin.

Radionuclide detection of gastroesophageal reflux in children suffering from recurrent lower respiratory tract infection.

Radionuclide gastro-esophageal scintigraphy was performed on 25 control and 183 children suffering from recurrent lower respiratory tract infection. Gastro-esophageal reflux (GER) of varying grades was observed in 135 patients. The severity of clinical symptoms in the patients was found to be directly related to the severity of reflux observed in the radionuclide study. In some patients an attempt was also made to quantitate GER by calculating the Gastro-esophageal reflux index. The results of the scintigraphic study were correlated with the results of the other commonly used and more conventional Barium swallow and fluoroscopy study. Gastro-esophageal scintigraphy was found to be much superior in terms of sensitivity, specificity and accuracy in detecting GER. It was also possible to objectively evaluate and monitor response to treatment following conservative or corrective surgical therapy using the radionuclide technique. The results of the study demonstrated a remarkably high incidence of GER in the patients. Whether GER is the cause of recurrent lower respiratory tract infection or not is difficult to establish firmly. But within the preview of the study the association seems to be very strong and cannot be easily ignored.

Identification and partial characterization of diagnostically relevant antigens of Aspergillus fumigatus.

Metabolic antigens of Aspergillus fumigatus, soil strain 2605 and sputum isolate, were evaluated for their diagnostic applicability using hyperimmune sera and sera of adults and pediatric patients of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis. An indirect ELISA was standardised by using 2-10 micrograms/ml of coating antigen for detection of specific IgG and IgE antibodies in the sera of patients. The ratios of absorbance for specific IgE and IgG antibodies by ELISA (normal to patients) were observed to be in the range of 1:2 to 1:3 to 1:8 respectively. These antigenic preparations were further analyzed to identify and characterize the individual components by immunoblotting. This analysis indicated the presence of allergenic and antigenic determinants in the antigens of molecular weights 70, 34, and 28 Kd. The utility of the antigens of soil strain for diagnostic purpose is suggested.

Cryptogenic fibrosing alveolitis in children.

Cryptogenic fibrosing alveolitis (CFA) in children is supposedly a rare diffuse lung disease characterized clinically by tachypnoea, cough, poor weight gain, and cyanosis. Histologically, it is characterized by thickening of alveolar walls and infiltration of the alveolar septae with mononuclear cells and fibrous tissue. The condition is more acute in children, with fulminant course. Ten children were diagnosed as having CFA out of three hundred children seen over a period of 3 years. Diagnosis was established by characteristic clinical findings and laboratory evaluation. All the children had tachypnoea at rest and bilateral crepitations in the absence of fever. Diffuse bilateral persistent irregular shadows were noted on the chest X-ray of these children. Pulmonary function studies revealed a restrictive type of abnormality with low transfer factor for carbon monoxide in six children. Open lung biopsy was done in eight children. The biopsy material was graded according to nine morphologic variables. Administration of steroids early in the course of illness resulted in amelioration of symptoms in 60% of the patients.