Creating sub-50 nm nanofluidic junctions in a PDMS microchip via self-assembly process of colloidal silica beads for electrokinetic concentration of biomolecules.

In this work we describe a novel and simple self-assembly process of colloidal silica beads to create a nanofluidic junction between two microchannels. The nanoporous membrane was used to induce ion concentration polarization inside the microchannel and this electrokinetic preconcentration system allowed rapid concentration of DNA samples by ~1700 times and of protein samples by ~100 times within 5 minutes.

Dementia, myoclonus, peripheral neuropathy, and lipid-like material in skin biopsy during psychotropic drug treatment.

Chronic treatment of humans with several drugs is associated with lesions resembling lipidosis in different tissues. Recently, a Creutzfeldt-Jacob-like syndrome has been observed during tricyclic antidepressant therapy, but no evidence of interaction of these drugs with lysosomal function has been reported during such treatment. We report a case of dementia, myoclonus, peripheral neuropathy, and lipid storage in the skin due to antidepressant drug therapy, in which the discontinuation of drugs resulted in an improvement of clinical and electrophysiologic signs together with reduction of morphological evidence of lipid lysosomal storage.

Imipramine induced lipidosis and dexamethasone effect: morphological and biochemical study in normal and chronic GM2 gangliosidosis fibroblasts.

A large heterogeneous group of lysosomotropic compounds with a common cationic amphiphilic structure induces in vitro and in vivo lysosomal lipid storage. The biochemical mechanism underlying the lipidosis is still the subject of investigation. The authors report the experimental effect of imipramine and dexamethasone on lysosomal system in cultured skin fibroblasts. Morphological and ultrastructural observations of cells treated with imipramine showed vacuoles with lipidic storage, enlarged lysosomes with electron translucent zones and normal appearance of all the other cytoplasmic organelles. The lysosomal enzyme activities were decreased on biochemical study. On the contrary, an increased enzyme activity was detected in the culture medium. Pretreatment with dexamethasone partially prevented the effect of imipramine. Our results suggest that tricyclic antidepressants may induce lysosomal lipidosis through a dysfunction in the recycling of mannose-6-phosphate receptors and in the trafficking of newly synthesized lysosomal enzymes. Moreover the data presented may provide a clue in understanding some of the side effects observed in patients chronically treated with antidepressant drugs.

Comparison of nonabsorbable and absorbable sutures for use in oculoplastic surgery.

Nonabsorbable sutures are often recommended for use in oculoplastic surgery. This study compares the in vivo performance of nonabsorbable and absorbable sutures in an animal model and attempts to determine if one suture type is clearly superior for subcutaneous wound closure. The performance of each suture was evaluated using three surgical techniques. Comparison of results revealed that different techniques produce profoundly different results, independent of suture choice. Clinically, all suture types behaved similarly when used with the same surgical technique. Thus, absorbable and nonabsorbable sutures are equally effective under the conditions of these experiments.

Macrosomia and mental retardation: evidence of autosomal dominant inheritance in four generations.

We describe a large family with 14 persons presenting macrosomia with or without mental retardation in which dominant transmission is evident over 4 generations. A wide range of phenotypic variability was observed, some patients showing macrosomia and mental impairment, others only macrosomia. The cases will be discussed in relationship with other conditions in which the 2 signs may be present, and above all in Sotos sequence.