Acoustic resonance for contactless ultrasonic cavitation in alloy melts.

Contactless ultrasound is a novel, easily implemented, technique for the Ultrasonic Treatment (UST) of liquid metals. Instead of using a vibrating sonotrode probe inside the melt, which leads to contamination, we consider a high AC frequency electromagnetic coil placed close to the metal free surface. The coil induces a rapidly changing Lorentz force, which in turn excites sound waves. To reach the necessary pressure amplitude for cavitation with the minimum electrical energy use, it was found necessary to achieve acoustic resonance in the liquid volume, by finely tuning the coil AC supply frequency. The appearance of cavitation was then detected experimentally with an externally placed ultrasonic microphone and confirmed by the reduction in grain size of the solidified metal. To predict the appearance of various resonant modes numerically, the exact dimensions of the melt volume, the holding crucible, surrounding structures and their sound properties are required. As cavitation progresses the speed of sound in the melt changes, which in practice means resonance becomes intermittent. Given the complexity of the situation, two competing numerical models are used to compute the soundfield. A high order time-domain method focusing on a particular forcing frequency and a Helmholtz frequency domain method scanning the full frequency range of the power supply. A good agreement is achieved between the two methods and experiments which means the optimal setup for the process can be predicted with some accuracy.

HIV-2 infection in Providence, Rhode Island from 2002 to 2011.

OBJECTIVES: In contrast to HIV-1 infection, little is known about the natural disease course of HIV-2 and its response to antiretrovirals (ARVs). We describe a cohort of HIV-2-infected patients, focusing on the method of diagnosis, ARV treatment and complications. METHODS: Through a retrospective review of medical records at our centre, we identified 12 patients with HIV-2 infection in our clinic population (1400 active patients) who received care between 2002 and 2011. We summarized clinical characteristics, ARV treatment and outcomes. RESULTS: Seven of the patients were male and five were female. All patients were born in West African countries. The mode of transmission was heterosexual intercourse in 11 patients, and injecting drug use in one patient. The median CD4 count at the time of diagnosis was 668 cells/µL (range 23 to 1546 cells/µL). HIV-2 quantitative viral load measurements were not uniformly available to clinicians. Four patients were treated with protease inhibitor-based regimens, with a mean increase in CD4 count of 183 cells/µL (range 43 to 341 cells/µL). The other eight patients have been observed off ARVs. Two patients experienced complications from HIV, one patient had HIV encephalopathy and molluscom contagiosum, and another had microsporidiosis infection in the setting of AIDS. CONCLUSION: Our results support those of previous studies indicating that HIV-2 has a more indolent disease course than HIV-1, with a spectrum of disease ranging from asymptomatic to AIDS. Development of a reliable quantitative HIV-2 viral load assay to guide management is needed. Further research studies are needed to establish the best time to start ARV treatment in HIV-2-infected patients.

Experiences in implementation of routine human immunodeficiency virus testing in a US tuberculosis clinic.

SETTING: Rhode Island Tuberculosis (RI TB) Clinic, The Miriam Hospital, Providence, RI, USA. BACKGROUND: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) status is a critical factor in the management of both patients with latent TB infection (LTBI) and active TB. Since 2006, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended routine, opt-out HIV testing in all health care settings, including TB clinics. However, implementation of HIV testing in LTBI patients has been limited. DESIGN: A policy for HIV assessment of all new patients was instituted at the RI TB Clinic. Patients who reported no HIV testing in the preceding year were offered opt-out HIV testing. Patient records (June 2010-June 2011) were retrospectively reviewed. Structured nursing interviews assessed staff acceptance. RESULTS: A total of 821 (77.5%) first-visit TB patients underwent HIV status assessment: 96.3% of those not tested in the previous year agreed to testing; 65.9% of tests were performed at point of care. There was one new HIV diagnosis. CONCLUSION: Implementing routine opt-out HIV testing in the RI TB Clinic is feasible, with high staff acceptance rates and low patient refusal rates. Perceived health systems barriers can be overcome. Incorporating opt-out HIV testing for LTBI patients expands testing opportunities to individuals unaware of their HIV status, and can identify HIV-infected patients early in the course of infection.

Assessing medicinal plants from South-Eastern Spain for potential anti-inflammatory effects targeting nuclear factor-Kappa B and other pro-inflammatory mediators.

AIM OF THE STUDY: Identification of plants with anti-inflammatory activity can be successfully based on information gained through knowledge on their traditional use. This is particularly true for biodiversity-rich regions of the world such as the Mediterranean. While such approaches are often single target based, here we used a multitarget, cell-based approach focusing on the pro-inflammatory signaling cascade and especially the NF-kappaB (NF-kappaB) pathway. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The plants from South-Eastern Spain were chosen on the basis that they were recorded as having a traditional use against an indication related to inflammation. The primary target was the transcription factor NF-kappaB (using a luciferase-based assay in HeLa cells). In addition extracts were tested in vitro for effects on cytokines (IL-6, IL-8, TNF-alpha) or PGE(2) in monocytes and for potential cytotoxic/pro-apoptotic action as well as for their influence on the cell cycle. RESULTS: Overall, 64 medicinal plant drugs from 61 species were assessed as potential inhibitors of inflammatory mediators to levels of 100-10 microg/ml. Three plants showed the highest level of activity (50 microg/ml) in inhibiting the activation of NF-kappaB in 5.1 cells: Helichrysum stoechas (Asteraceae), Dorycnium pentaphyllum (Fabaceae, s.l.) and Phlomis almeriensis (Lamiaceae). In the tests against the cytokines it was particularly striking to find that a number of species, Bupleurum fruticosum, Chamaespartium tridentatum, Genista ramosissima, Helichrysum stoechas, Mercurialis tomentosa, Ononis ramosissima, Peganum harmala, Picnomon acarna, Retama sphaerocarpa and Santolina viscosa showed extracts that were active at inhibiting TNF-alpha (10 microg/ml). CONCLUSIONS: Overall, this project has identified a series of species with an activity profile which merits further phytochemical-pharmacological investigation.

Mature green waste compost enhances growth and nitrogen uptake in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) through the action of water-extractable factors.

A series of field and pot trials were carried out to determine the effects of growing wheat and oilseed rape in soils supplemented with green waste composts and provided with additional fertilisers. It was shown consistently that the response of wheat and rape to compost and fertiliser applied together was greater than the responses to the individual additives, but only when very stable compost was used (>10 months processing). Experiments with 15N-labelled fertiliser showed that wheat was able to utilise the applied N more efficiently when cultivated in the stable compost. The enhanced growth was also demonstrated in hydroponic culture of oilseed rape with water extracts of green waste compost in the presence of compound fertiliser. However the effect was rapidly lost at higher dilutions of compost extract (>3). It was concluded that water-extractable growth promoters are present in stable green waste compost, but these only have measurable activity at high concentrations. The identity of the growth promoting factors remains to be found, but the literature suggests that water-extractable humic substances or cytokinins may be involved.

Helicobacter typhlonius sp. nov., a Novel Murine Urease-Negative Helicobacter Species.

Over the past decade, several Helicobacter species have been isolated from rodents. With the advent of PCR for the diagnosis of infectious agents, it has become clear that several previously uncharacterized Helicobacter species also colonize rodents. In this report, we describe a novel urease-negative helicobacter, Helicobacter typhlonius sp. nov., which was isolated from colonies of laboratory mice independently by two laboratories. Infection of immunodeficient mice by this bacterium resulted in typhlocolitis similar to that observed with other helicobacter infections. H. typhlonius is genetically most closely related to H. hepaticus. Like H. hepaticus, it is a spiral bacterium with bipolar sheathed flagella. However, this novel species contains a large intervening sequence in its 16S rRNA gene and is biochemically distinct from H. hepaticus. Notably, H. typhlonius does not produce urease or H(2)S nor does it hydrolize indoxyl-acetate. Compared to other Helicobacter species that commonly colonize rodents, H. typhlonius was found to be less prevalent than H. hepaticus and H. rodentium but as prevalent as H. bilis. H. typhlonius joins a growing list of helicobacters that colonize mice and are capable of inducing enteric disease in various strains of immunodeficient mice.

Cloning, expression, and catalytic activity of Helicobacter hepaticus urease.

Helicobacter hepaticus causes disease in the liver and lower intestinal tract of mice. It is strongly urease positive, although it does not live in an acidic environment. The H. hepaticus urease gene cluster was expressed in Escherichia coli with and without coexpression of the Helicobacter pylori nickel transporter NixA. As for H. pylori, it was difficult to obtain enzymatic activity from recombinant H. hepaticus urease; special conditions including NiCl2 supplementation were required. The H. hepaticus urease cluster contains a homolog of each gene in the H. pylori urease cluster, including the urea transporter gene ureI. Downstream genes were homologs of the nik nickel transport operon of E. coli. Nongastric H. hepaticus produces urease similar to that of H. pylori.

Enteric lesions in SCID mice infected with "Helicobacter typhlonicus," a novel urease-negative Helicobacter species.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Several rodent helicobacters have been associated with chronic active hepatitis or inflammatory bowel disease. Severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice appear to be inherently susceptible to disease attributable to these emerging pathogens. With the advent of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis, it has become clear that several as yet unidentified Helicobacter species may also colonize rodents, but their capacity to cause disease is unknown. METHODS: A Helicobacter species isolated from feces of a BALB/c mouse and provisionally named "H. typhlonicus" was used to inoculate helicobacter-free 4-week-old SCID mice (n = 11 males and 11 females). At various weeks after inoculation, mice were sacrificed and liver and intestinal specimens were collected for histologic examination and PCR analyses. RESULTS: The C.B-17 scid/scid mice inoculated with "H. typhlonicus" developed moderate to severe proliferative typhlocolitis, similar to that seen in SCID mice infected with H. hepaticus or H. bilis. However, in contrast to mice infected with H. hepaticus or H. bilis, lesions of chronic active hepatitis were not detected in mice inoculated with "H. typhlonicus." A similar disease syndrome developed in SCID mice cohabitated with B6D2F1 mice naturally infected with a novel Helicobacter species that was genetically identical to "H. typhlonicus." CONCLUSION: "Helicobacter typhlonicus" joins a growing list of helicobacters that are capable of inducing enteric disease in immunodeficient mice.

Enterohepatic lesions in SCID mice infected with Helicobacter bilis.

Helicobacter bilis is a recently identified species that colonizes the intestine and liver of mice. In immunocompetent mice, infections have been associated with mild hepatitis, and in immunocompromised mice, inflammatory bowel disease has been induced by intraperitoneal inoculation of the organism. We report inoculation of 6-week-old C.B-17 scid/scid mice by gastric gavage with approximately 10(7) H. bilis colony-forming units. Groups of mice were euthanized and necropsied 12, 24, and 36 weeks after inoculation. Mild to moderate proliferative typhlitis was evident in all mice at 12 and 36 weeks after inoculation and in most mice 24 weeks after inoculation. Mild to severe chronic active hepatitis was detected in 10 of 10 male mice and 3 of 10 female mice. These results indicate that H. bilis can cause moderate to severe enterohepatic disease in immunocompromised mice.

Fecal PCR assay for diagnosis of Helicobacter infection in laboratory rodents.

A fecal PCR assay for detection of Helicobacter infections in laboratory rodents was developed. DNA was isolated from murine fecal pellets, and a region of the 16S rRNA gene conserved among murine Helicobacter species was amplified. The fecal PCR was sensitive and specific. This assay does not require euthanasia of rodents, which is especially important for valuable rodents, such as transgenic mice.

Isolation of a novel Helicobacter species, Helicobacter cholecystus sp. nov., from the gallbladders of Syrian hamsters with cholangiofibrosis and centrilobular pancreatitis.

A filamentous, gram-negative, motile bacterium with a single polar sheathed flagellum was isolated from gallbladders of hamsters with cholangiofibrosis and centrilobular pancreatitis. Bacteria grew under microaerophilic conditions at 37 and 42 degrees C, were oxidase, catalase, arginine aminopeptidase, and L-arginine arylamidase positive, reduced nitrate to nitrite, were resistant to cephalothin, and exhibited intermediate susceptibility to nalidixic acid. Sequence analysis of the 16S rRNA gene indicated that the bacterium was a novel member of the Helicobacter genus, most closely related to Helicobacter pametensis. We propose to name this bacterium Helicobacter cholecystus. In epidemiologic studies, isolation of H. cholecystus correlated strongly with the presence of cholangiofibrosis and centrilobular pancreatitis; however, further studies are needed to define the role of this bacterium in pathogenesis.

A comparison of stereology and segmentation techniques for volumetric measurements of lateral ventricles in magnetic resonance imaging.

Lateral ventricular volumes were measured on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans by independent raters in 18 subjects (11 psychotic patients and 7 healthy control subjects) with two different approaches: a point-counting stereological (PCS) technique and a computerized technique based on segmentation algorithms. The correlation between the two techniques was very high (r = 0.96), and phantom studies showed good validity for both approaches. These findings and the technical simplicity of the PCS technique support its potential use for MRI morphometric measurements.

Career expectations of pharmacists with postgraduate training in drug information.

The career expectations of pharmacists who have completed postgraduate training in drug information were studied. A questionnaire was mailed to all pharmacists who completed fellowships or residencies in drug information from 1989 to 1993 and the current preceptors of such programs. Recipients were asked to provide information about past and present positions, residency or fellowship training goals, characteristics of an ideal practice setting, satisfaction with current positions, professional activities, and future career goals. Seventy-five pharmacists (26 preceptors and 49 former trainees) returned questionnaires with usable information, for an 86% response rate. Preceptors and former trainees gave similar responses regarding the desired characteristics of an ideal practice setting, overall satisfaction with one's current position, expectations after postgraduate training in drug information, and long-term career goals. However, many former trainees did not list drug information-related positions as the desired first job after training, suggesting that the career opportunities in drug information may need to be stressed more heavily in training programs. Former drug information residents and fellows had career expectations similar to those held by current program preceptors.

Effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors on ventricular remodeling and survival following myocardial infarction.

OBJECTIVE: To discuss the effects of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors on ventricular remodeling and survival after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). An overview is provided of the pathophysiologic changes produced by AMI and the ventricular remodeling process. ACE inhibitors have been studied for their use in the prevention of ventricular remodeling and reduction in postinfarction mortality. Trials in humans and animals are reviewed, including study methods, results, and limitations. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE searches identified applicable literature, including experimental trials and review articles. STUDY SELECTION: All clinical trials of ACE inhibitors following AMI were reviewed. DATA EXTRACTION: Morbidity and mortality data evaluating the effect of postinfarction ventricular remodeling are rare. At the time of publication, all available clinical trials studying the effects of ACE inhibitors on postinfarction ventricular remodeling were included, regardless of whether morbidity and mortality were assessed. Data from the Survival and Ventricular Enlargement (SAVE) and Cooperative New Scandinavian Enalapril Survival Study II (CONSENSUS II) trials include almost 10,000 patients. Data were extracted by two independent observers. Data quality and validity were assessed based on sample size, stratification of study population, and statistical power of the studies. DATA SYNTHESIS: ACE inhibitors may prevent the deleterious consequences of AMI, including ventricular remodeling and neurohumoral activation. Ventricular hypertrophy begins acutely following infarction, an early physiologic response to myocardial injury. Hemodynamic benefits from the initial phase of left ventricular hypertrophy include increased ventricular working capacity, normalized systolic wall stress, and maintenance of stroke volume. Although acute dilatation may delay hemodynamic deterioration for six to eight months, it also results in reduced coronary reserve, decreased ventricular compliance, and altered myocardial contractility. With chronic dilatation, the beneficial effects reach a plateau, stroke volume decreases, contractility is reduced, and cardiac failure may ensue. Ventricular hypertrophy is associated with worsened prognosis following infarction and may be the most important single determinant of late prognosis. Ventricular hypertrophy contributes to postinfarction heart failure, angina, and sudden death. Clinical trials show a beneficial effect of the ACE inhibitor captopril on the prevention of left ventricular dysfunction. Although captopril therapy significantly improved survival and myocardial function following AMI in the SAVE trial, these results cannot be generalized to all patient subpopulations. The CONSENSUS II trial demonstrated a decreased survival rate when enalapril was administered within 24 hours of AMI, indicating that timing of therapy may be an important consideration. Captopril therapy may positively affect outcome when initiated 3-16 days following infarction in patients with ejection fractions below 40 percent and who have no signs of ischemia or heart failure. Based on the CONSENSUS II results, enalapril therapy immediately following AMI cannot be recommended. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical trials have demonstrated that ACE inhibitors can limit ventricular hypertrophy following AMI, resulting in clinical benefit and improved survival. These effects may be secondary to modulation of neurohumoral activation or the antiischemic effect of ACE inhibitors, which may also reduce the incidence of reinfarction. Early intervention with ACE inhibitors (within 3-16 days of infarction) can slow the progression of cardiovascular disease and improve the survival rate.

Fanconi's syndrome due to ifosfamide.

Although renal wasting of phosphate is relatively common, Fanconi's syndrome following ifosfamide chemotherapy is rare. This case illustrates the possibility of developing Fanconi's syndrome despite the apparent lack of toxicity during previous ifosfamide exposure. As the use of high-dose ifosfamide-containing regimens prior to BMT increases, the occurrence of this adverse effect may become more frequent. Morbidity due to Fanconi's syndrome can be decreased by close monitoring and aggressive management of fluid and electrolytes.

Dot enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (dot ELISA) for antibodies to Encephalitozoon cuniculi.

A dot-ELISA procedure was developed to detect antibodies against Encephalitozoon cuniculi. Sera from 84 rabbits, 22 dogs, 18 squirrel monkeys and 200 mice were tested by dot-ELISA and most also were tested by immunofluorescence. Comparison of the two tests showed that there was excellent agreement of the results (Kappa values greater than or equal to 0.74) in all four species. Dot-ELISA is a simple, quantitative, rapid alternative to immunofluorescence when large numbers of serum samples must be evaluated.

Comparison of the Ortho Cultureset (Vero cells) and Difco Cellmatics system (mink lung and primary rabbit kidney cells) for the detection of herpes simplex virus from clinical specimens.

Two Cellmatics (Difco) Herpes simplex virus (HSV) detection systems, one with mink lung cells (ML) and the other with primary rabbit kidney cells (PRK) and the Cultureset (Ortho) system with Vero cells were compared for their ability to detect previously positive specimens. One hundred fifty patients specimens positive for HSV in either Vero or PRK cells prior to freezing at -70 degrees C were thawed once, diluted to 1:8, and inoculated in duplicate into each cell system. Positive cultures were detected using each kit's immunoperoxidase method. All three cell lines were stained at 24 hr followed by a final staining of negative cultures at 48 hr for Cultureset and at 72 hr for Cellmatics as per kit instructions. At 24 hr percent detection was: Cellmatics (ML) = 85%, Cellmatics (PRK) = 81%, Cultureset (Vero) = 74%. At final staining percent detection was 94%, 92%, and 84%, respectively. The Cellmatics system has the advantage of fewer steps in the staining procedure and no manipulation of coverslips because staining is performed in the tubes. As employed in these commercial systems, the Cellmatics system with ML cells is more sensitive than the Cultureset with Vero cells (p less than 0.001) and comparable to the Cellmatics system with PRK.