LUCIANA FIORETTI GRACIOLI-VITTI, FÁBIO CAMARGO ABDALLA, REGINA LÚCIA MORELLI SILVA DE MORAES

BIOCELL, Vol.29, No.1, pp. 1-5, 2005, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2005.29.001

Abstract The aim of the present study was analyze, by histological and morphometrical studies, mandibular glands of Melipona bicolor queens collected from monogynic and polygynic colonies and compare their level of development. The results showed that the glands of physogastric queens from monogynic colony present a higher level of activity in relation to the queens of polygynic colonies; this is explained by the fact that just a unique queen controls the monogynic colony. In the polygynic colonies, the queens may divide such control to each other. More >

Krisztina Buzás¹, Klára Megyeri¹, Márta Hõgye², Miklós Csanády², Gábor Bogáts², Yvette Mándi¹

European Cytokine Network, Vol.15, No.1, pp. 53-59, 2004

Abstract Aims. In order to gain more insight into the pathogenesis of dilated and hypertrophic cardiomyo-pathies (DCM and HCM, respectively), we investigated the roles of certain cytokines that regulate apoptosis. Methods and results. ELISA tests, performed to determine the plasma concentrations of tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), the soluble Fas (sFas), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and the soluble IL-6 receptor (sIL-6R), revealed that DCM patients exhibit elevated concentrations of TNF-α, sFas, IL-6 and sIL-6R, while HCM patients have only high IL-6 and sIL-6R levels as compared with healthy individuals. Western blot analysis of the levels of TNF-α, IL-6, Bcl-2… More >

Mahmoud Huleihel^1,4, Alaa Amash^1,3, Olga Sapir^2,3, Ester Maor⁴, Sharon Levy^1,3, Miriam Katz^2,3, Doron Dukler^2,4, Lesly Myatt⁵, Gershon Holcberg^2,3

European Cytokine Network, Vol.15, No.1, pp. 30-36, 2004

Abstract The aim of the study was to investigate the stimulatory effect of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on IL-1α production in different compartments of term and preterm placental tissues. Homogenates from amnion, chorion, and from fetal (subchorionic placental tissues, maternal decidua, and mid-placental tissue before and after perfusion of isolated placental cotyledons of 5 term placentas and 4 placentas obtained after preterm birth (28-34 W of gestation) were examined. Isolated placental cotyledons were dually perfused LPS (100 ng/kg perfused placental tissue) was perfused into the maternal side during 10 hours. Homogenates of the samples were examined by ELISA… More >

Ian Poon¹, Melania Pintilie², Mark Potvin³, Tom McGowan⁴

Canadian Journal of Urology, Vol.11, No.1, pp. 2125-2132, 2004

Abstract Purpose: Prostate cancer represents a large part of the workload for radiation oncology departments in Canada. Recent evidence suggests that conformal external beam radiotherapy improves results. The planning and treatment process for conformal patients requires a greater amount of resources that are in short supply in Ontario. An understanding of these differences is important to provide an accurate estimate of future radiation needs of the province. These differences can be quantified in a cost model that portrays the direct costs of delivering external beam radiotherapy in Ontario. With a developed cost model, a prospective direct cost… More >

R. Choo¹, V. Do¹, L. Sugar², L. Klotz², E. Bahk¹, E. Hong¹, C. Danjoux¹, G. Morton¹, G. DeBoer¹

Canadian Journal of Urology, Vol.11, No.1, pp. 2118-2124, 2004

Abstract Objective: To examine the change of histologic grade of untreated, low to intermediate grade, clinically localized prostate cancer over time on repeat prostate biopsy.
Methods and materials: In a prospective single-arm cohort study, patients were managed with observation alone unless they met pre-defined criteria of disease progression (PSA, clinical or histologic progression). Sixty-seven (54%) of a total of 123 eligible patients underwent follow-up prostate biopsy. Median time to the follow-up biopsy was 22 months (range: 7-60).
Results: On the follow-up biopsy, Gleason score was unchanged in 20 patients (30%), upgraded in 19 (28%), and downgraded in 27 (40%).… More >

Sender Herschorn¹, Debbie Becker², Elizabeth Miller³, Melissa Thompson², Lindy Forte³

Canadian Journal of Urology, Vol.11, No.6, pp. 2430-2437, 2004

Abstract Objective: To assess a standardized and simple educational intervention in overactive bladder (OAB) patients to improve compliance with anticholinergic medication, increase the use of concomitant behavioral treatments, and improve patients' perception of bladder symptoms.
Materials and methods: This is a 16-week open-label randomized trial of tolterodine combined with an education intervention for the experimental group versus tolterodine alone (no intervention) for the control group. The setting was in family medicine and urology clinics in Ontario. The participants were male and female adults with OAB symptoms. Both groups received tolterodine prescriptions. The intervention patients received printed information and… More >

W. Uddin¹

CMES-Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences, Vol.5, No.3, pp. 269-278, 2004, DOI:10.3970/cmes.2004.005.269

Abstract This paper presents the results of a three-dimensional finite element study to simulate impacts of the models of a car and a pickup truck against a model of modified thrie-beam guardrail and to analyze the crashworthiness of the roadside guardrail. Nonlinear springs were used to simulate the rotation of the post below ground level. The simulation results of an event of a pickup truck impacting the modified thrie-beam guardrail model are presented. The ``reduced'' version of the pickup truck model is redirected after impact and leaves the guardrail without any significant problem. These results compare More >

Qing-Sheng Yang^1,2, Wilfried Becker³

CMES-Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences, Vol.6, No.4, pp. 319-332, 2004, DOI:10.3970/cmes.2004.006.319

Abstract The present paper focuses on the comparative investigation of different homogenization methods for fiber composites, void solids and rigid inclusion media. The effective properties of multi-phase media are calculated by three methods, i.e. direct average method of stress and strain, direct average method of strain energy and two-scale expansion method. A comprehensive comparison, in principle and numerically, of these methods is emphasized. It is obvious that the two direct average methods are identical in principle and therefore they give the same numerical results. It is shown that the two-scale expansion method is the same as More >

Mahmoud Huleihel^1,2,4,*, Eitan Lunenfeld^2,4, Anna Blindman¹, Isebrand Prinsloo^3,4, Gad Potashnik^2,4

European Cytokine Network, Vol.14, No.1, pp. 27-33, 2003

Abstract The levels of IL-1α, IL-1β and IL-1Ra were higher in homogenates of testicular tissue from sexually immature than those from mature mice. Immunohistochemical staining of testicular tissues from sexually immature and adult mice show that differentiated germ cells express higher levels of IL-1α compared to Sertoli cells and Leydig cells/interstitial cells. Peritubular cells of sexually immature and adult mice did not express IL-1α. Testicular tissue cells of adult mice showed high levels of expression of IL-1β, mainly in the cytoplasm and nucleus of the spermatogonia and in spermatocytes. Sertoli cells and Leydig/interstitial cells were also… More >

Anita W. Rijneveld^1,2,*, Sandrine Florquin³, Peter Speelman^2,4, Carl K. Edwards⁵, Charles A. Dinarello⁶, Tom van der Poll^2,4

European Cytokine Network, Vol.14, No.4, pp. 242-245, 2003

Abstract The inhibition of the biological activity of IL-1 by recombinant human IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) has been investigated in several, controlled clinical trials. Encouraging results have been reported, in particular in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. In the present study, we investigated the influence of treatment of wild type mice with IL-1ra, which resulted in an incomplete and transient inhibition of IL-1 activity. Treatment with recombinant human IL-1ra resulted in an enhanced bacterial outgrowth in the lungs of BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice early after induction of pneumococcal pneumonia, without influencing survival or the pulmonary inflammatory response. More >