Thermoformed wheat gluten biopolymers.

The quantity of available wheat gluten exceeds the current food use markets. Thermoforming is an alternative technical means for transforming wheat gluten. Thermoforming was applied here to wheat gluten under chemically reductive conditions to form pliable, translucent sheets. A wide variety of conditions, i.e., temperature, reducing agents, plasticizers and additives were tested to obtain a range of elastic properties in the thermoformed sheets. These properties were compared to those of commercially available polymers, such as polypropylene. Elasticity of the gluten formulations were indexed by Young's modulus and were in the range measured for commercial products when tested in the 30-70% relative humidity range. Removal of the gliadin subfraction of gluten yielded polymers with higher Young's modulus since this component acts as a polymer-chain terminator. At relative humidity less than 30% all whole gluten-based sheets were brittle, while above 70% they were highly elastic.

Impact of diabetes mellitus on long-term outcome after unstable angina and non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction treated with a very early invasive strategy.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: We sought to evaluate the impact of diabetes mellitus on long-term outcome in patients with unstable angina and non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction treated with a very early invasive strategy. METHODS: We carried out a prospective cohort study in 270 diabetic and 1163 non-diabetic patients with unstable angina and non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. All patients underwent coronary angiography and, if appropriate, subsequent revascularisation within 24 hours of admission. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality during follow-up for up to 60 months. RESULTS: Diabetic patients had less favourable baseline characteristics including more advanced coronary artery disease and more severe unstable angina and non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. Percutaneous coronary intervention was performed in 53% of diabetic patients and 56% of non-diabetic patients. Coronary artery bypass grafting was done in 21% of diabetic patients and 12% of non-diabetic patients. In-hospital mortality (4.1% vs 1.3%; hazard ratio 3.47; 95% CI: 1.57 to 7.64; p=0.002) and long-term mortality (9.7% vs 4.9%; hazard ratio 2.11; 95% CI: 1.33 to 3.36; p=0.002) were significantly higher in diabetic patients. After adjustment for differences in baseline characteristics, diabetes mellitus was no longer an independent predictor of long-term mortality (hazard ratio 1.43; 95% CI: 0.74 to 2.78; p=0.292). CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: Diabetic patients treated with a very early invasive strategy for unstable angina and non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction have a higher in-hospital and long-term mortality that is largely explained by their less favourable baseline characteristics including more advanced coronary artery disease and more severe unstable angina and non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

Acetyl-LDL stimulates macrophage-dependent plasminogen activation and degradation of extracellular matrix.

The ability of acetyl-LDL to stimulate macrophage-dependent plasminogen activation and degradation of extracellular matrix was examined. We have found that expression of plasminogen activator activity in response to the scavenger receptor ligand varied among cell populations. Exposure to acetyl-LDL stimulated plasminogen activator expression by cells which constitutively released low levels of activator. These include a virally transformed macrophage-like cell line (RAW246.7), concanavalin A and C. parvum-activated macrophages. The stimulation of plasminogen activator activity was independent of cellular lipid accumulation since nonlipoprotein inhibitors of acetyl-LDL binding to the scavenger receptor stimulated activator expression in great excess to that observed with acetyl-LDL. In contrast, acetyl-LDL was unable to induce soluble plasminogen activator activity in cells which normally do not express it. These include a macrophage-like cell line (J774A.1) and resident peritoneal macrophages. Furthermore, acetyl-LDL was unable to modulate the copious secretion of activator by inflammatory macrophages elicited with thioglycolate. When macrophages were tested for their ability to degrade smooth muscle cell derived matrix, solubilization by resident, elicited, and activated cells was variously increased in the presence of plasminogen. Furthermore, exposure to acetyl-LDL enhanced plasmin-dependent degradation by resident cells and activated cells, whereas matrix degradation by elicited cells was unaffected.

Antibody to cardiolipin as a predictor of fetal distress or death in pregnant patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

During a prospective study of pregnancies in women with systemic lupus erythematosus, we examined the relation between antibody to cardiolipin, measured by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and midpregnancy fetal distress, identified by abnormal results of antepartum fetal heart-rate testing or by fetal death. All of nine patients with lupus and this complication had abnormally high antibody levels (mean, 212.3 +/- 55.3 units), as compared with values in normal nonpregnant women (28.2 +/- 10.1 units). None of 12 pregnant patients with lupus but without this complication had antibody levels above 50 units (mean, 27.5 +/- 3.4 units; P less than 0.005 vs. women with lupus and fetal distress); 4 of 12 pregnant subjects without lupus had antibody levels above 50 units (mean, 42.5 +/- 11.0), and fetal death occurred in the subject with the highest level. The mean antibody level in 12 nonpregnant patients with lupus was 117.4 +/- 35.0 units. Two patients who had lupus anticoagulant but not clinical lupus, both with histories of prior fetal death, also had high antibody levels; fetal death occurred in one, and spontaneous fetal bradycardia in the other. Antibody to cardiolipin was loosely linked to a history, but not the simultaneous presence, of demonstrable lupus anticoagulant or thrombocytopenia, and could be detected as early in pregnancy as either anticoagulant or thrombocytopenia. We conclude that measurement of antibody to cardiolipin is the most sensitive assay to predict fetal distress or death in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and may be of pathogenetic importance in this syndrome.

[Collagen synthesis, studied by sub microscopic methods in beta-propiolactone and in tendon homografts, preserved by gamma irradiation]. / A kollagén szintézis vizsgálata szubmikroszkópos módszerekkel béta-propiolaktonban és gammasugárzással konzervált homológ íntranszplantátumokban

In dog experiments homologous tendos conserved in beta-propiolacton and by means of gamma-radiation have been transplanted by the authors. After the 1st, 3rd and 8th post-operative week various regions of the graft and the recipient tendon stump have been examined by means of light--, polarisation microscopic and electron microscopic method. The examinations have unanimously shown that the tendon grafts conserved in beta-propiolacton are reorganized quickly, within 8 weeks nearly completely besides hardly visible inflammatory reaction. In the meantime, the originally collagen fibrous framework is decomposed and on it a new collagen fibrous structure develops, and thus a new tendon--capable to function--is formed. On the other hand, the reorganization of the grafts conserved with gamma-radiation is protracted or it fails to occur, and cicatrization is observed. Some problems of the modern tissue preservation, the collagen synthesis occurring in the active fibroblasts, the secretion of the collagen precursory substance into the extracellulary space, as well as the formation, the structure and the constitution of the newly synthesized collagen fibres--forming the transplant--are discussed by the authors. The obtained results are demonstrated in light-, polarization microscopic and electron microscopic pictures.

[Experience with the treatment of open leg fractures]. / Nyílt lábszártörések kezelésével szerzett tapasztalataink

Open leg fractures observed in 81 patients are analysed by the authors. In case of conservative treatment alone and in the group, which has been treated with primary osteosynthesis satisfactory results have been observed by the authors. False joint and osteomyelitis happened only in the group, in which the patients obtained firstly conservative treatment and in the case of the failure of this treatment osteosynthesis has been carried out. In the authors' opinion the most frequent complications are due - besides the damage of the soft parts - to the repeated and sometimes erroneous interventions.