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High Cr (high + cr)
Selected AbstractsHigh complete remission rate and durable remissions achieved with rational use of autologous stem-cell transplantation, thalidomide maintenance, and non-myeloablative allogeneic transplantation in patients with multiple myelomaCLINICAL TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 6 2009Basak Oyan Abstract:, Autologous stem-cell transplantation (ASCT) has emerged as the standard approach in patients with multiple myeloma, although it is unlikely to achieve cure. Thalidomide maintenance and non-myeloablative allogeneic transplantation (NST) may increase complete remission (CR) rate and increase overall survival. In this study, 35 ASCT and 10 NST were performed in 33 patients. Patients, who were resistant or relapsed following ASCT, underwent NST if they had an HLA-matched sibling, otherwise treated with a second ASCT. Thalidomide was started as maintenance after ASCT. After first transplantation, three patients underwent second ASCT and 10 patients underwent NST. Following first transplantation, CR rate was 39% and increased to 60% (overall response 93%) with addition of thalidomide, bortezomib, and second transplantation. CR was durable in 14 (42%) patients. During a median follow-up of 24 months, 18 patients progressed and nine patients died. The 100-d transplant-related mortality was <5%. The four-yr progression-free survival (PFS) was 52.4%. In conclusion, ASCT followed by thalidomide and NST in resistant patients can lead to high CR and PFS rates. As a second transplantation has not been performed routinely, patients having durable CR had a chance to avoid or delay a second transplantation without compromising disease control. [source] A seven-gene signature (cirrhosis risk score) predicts liver fibrosis progression in patients with initially mild chronic hepatitis C,HEPATOLOGY, Issue 4 2009Moira Marcolongo Fibrosis progression is the main determinant of liver disease outcome in chronic hepatitis C, being influenced by environmental and host factors. Recently, a cirrhosis risk score (CRS) based on seven single-nucleotide polymorphisms was proposed as genetic predictor of cirrhosis in hepatitis C. To assess the role of CRS in predicting fibrosis progression in patients with initially no or minimal to moderate fibrosis, we investigated 271 untreated patients with chronic hepatitis C having initial liver biopsy showing METAVIR stage F0 (n = 104), F1 (n = 101), or F2 (n = 59) who had been followed up without antiviral therapies for at least 60 months (mean 108.5 ± 71.5 months) and had a liver biopsy at the end of this observation period. Of these, 24.4% showed no histologic progression, 75.6% progressed by at least one stage, 45.0% progressed by at least two stages, and 10.3% progressed by more than two stages. The mean CRS was significantly higher (P = 0.005) in patients with fibrosis progression compared with those without progression, and this difference was particularly evident (P = 0.002) with F0 on initial biopsy. Mean CRS scores were not associated with degree of fibrosis progression. The relative risk of fibrosis progression increased with increasing CRS values. This association was significant in males but not in females and was most evident in males with F0 at initial biopsy (odds ratio 16.5, 95% confidence interval 1.6,166; P= 0.02) in the presence of high CRS. Multivariate analysis confirmed the significant association of CRS score with fibrosis progression. The predictive value of CRS was confirmed in hepatitis C virus patients admitting significant alcohol intake. Conclusion: Host genetics defined by CRS predict fibrosis progression in males with initially mild chronic hepatitis C and may become a useful parameter for prognostic evaluation and treatment decision. (HEPATOLOGY 2009.) [source] Genetic correlation between chromium resistance and reduction in Bacillus brevis isolated from tannery effluentJOURNAL OF APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 5 2009T. Verma Abstract Aims:, To investigate the genetic basis of Cr(VI) resistance and its reduction to Cr(III) in indigenous bacteria isolated from tannery effluent. Methods and Results:, Four bacteria resistant to high Cr(VI) levels were isolated and identified as Bacillus spp. Their Cr(VI) reduction ability was tested. To assess the genetic basis of Cr(VI) resistance and reduction, plasmid transfer and curing studies were performed. Among all, B. brevis was resistant to 180 ,g Cr(VI) ml,1 and showed the greatest degree of Cr(VI) reduction (75·8%) within 28 h and its transformant was resistant to 160 ,g Cr(VI) ml,1 and reduced 69·9% chromate. It harboured a stable 18 kb plasmid DNA. Transfer and curing studies revealed that both the chromate resistance and reduction were plasmid mediated. The presence of other metal cations did not have any significant effect on Cr(VI) bioreduction. Conclusions:,Bacillus brevis was resistant to elevated Cr(VI) levels and may potentially reduce it in short time from an environment where other metal ions are also present in addition to chromium ions. The strain tested shows a positive correlation between genetic basis of Cr(VI) resistance and reduction. Significance and Impact of the Study:, To our knowledge, this is the first study on the genetic correlation between chromium resistance and reduction in bacteria. Such strains may potentially be useful in biotechnological applications and in situ Cr(VI) bioremediation. [source] Discovery of a Miocene Mafic Dyke from the Western Hills of Beijing and its Geological ImplicationsACTA GEOLOGICA SINICA (ENGLISH EDITION), Issue 3 2009Zhicheng ZHANG Abstract: The present study is the first report of a Miocene mafic dyke from the Dahuichang, in the Western Hills of Beijing. The dyke cuts the fossil-dated Changxindian Formation of Eocene sequences and yields K-Ar ages of 14,15 Ma. The dyke is fine-grained diabase and has 49.84%,50.81% SiO2 and 3.56,3.97% Na2O+K2O, high TiO2 (1.65%,1.93%) and MgO (7.36%,9.85%), and low K2O (<1.22%) contents, with Na2O>K2O and slightly varied magnesium numbers (Mg#=55.54,62.74). In trace elements geochemistry, the dyke is very similar to the Miocene basalts from Jining and Hanuoba. The enrichment of light rare earth elements ([La/Yb]N=5.03,6.12) and large ion lithophile elements (LILEs), no negative Eu anomalies, relatively high Cr (265,326 ppm) and Ni (155,262 ppm), and almost constant V concentrations (194,213 ppm) reveal that the composition close to the primary basaltic magma from an enriched-mantle source, with little crustal contamination and fractional crystallization. The basaltic magma was possibly derived from the upwelling asthenosphere mantle beneath eastern China during the Miocene lithospheric thinning. [source] | ||||||||||