In Vitro Propagated Dendritic Cells from Patients with Human-Papilloma Virus-Associated Preneoplastic Lesions of the Uterine Cervix: Use of Flt3 Ligand

in Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy (1998), 47(2), 81-9

Dendritic cells (DC) are the most efficient antigen presenting cells. The clinical use of DC as vectors for antitumor and anti-infectious disease immunotherapy has been limited by their low level and ... [more ▼]

Dendritic cells (DC) are the most efficient antigen presenting cells. The clinical use of DC as vectors for antitumor and anti-infectious disease immunotherapy has been limited by their low level and accessibility in normal tissue. Substantial numbers of DC can be generated from peripheral blood cultured in the presence of interleukin-4 (IL-4) and granulocyte/macrophage-colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). We showed in this study that substantial numbers of DC can be obtained from the peripheral blood of patients with (pre)neoplastic lesions of the uterine cervix. The procedure required relatively small blood samples (10 ml) and the presence of 100 U/ml IL-4 and 800 U/ml GM-CSF in the culture medium. There was no significant difference in the morphology, yield, phenotype and function of generated DC between patients with cervical (pre)neoplastic lesions and healthy individuals. When the hematopoietic factor Flt3 ligand (Flt3L, 40 ng;ml) was added, there was an average increase in the DC population of 26% compared to cultures with GM-CSF and IL-4 alone. Approximately 1.2 x 10(6) cells with the characteristics of dendritic cells could be obtained when Flt3L was included in the medium. The addition of Flt3L did not modify the phenotypic profile of DC (HLA-DR+, CD1a+, CD4+, CD54+, CD80+, CD86+. CD40+, CD3- and CD14-). In addition, Flt3L generated functional DC capable of stimulating the proliferation of alloreactive T cells. These results suggest that Flt3L, in association with GM-CSF and IL-4, provides an advantageous tool for the large-scale generation of DC and that an immunotherapy based on the use of DC generated in vitro is possible in patients with (pre)neoplastic lesions of the uterine cervix. [less ▲]

Detection of bacteria in sterile body fluids

Poster (1998, October)

Purpose of the study: Development of a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method for the detection of any bacterial DNA in synovial, cerebrospinal, pleural, and peritoneal fluids. Methods: Most of bacterial ... [more ▼]

Purpose of the study: Development of a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method for the detection of any bacterial DNA in synovial, cerebrospinal, pleural, and peritoneal fluids. Methods: Most of bacterial species possess highly conserved, multicopy 16S ribosomal RNA genes, which can be hybridized with a single set of oligonucleotide primers. Samples were processed by an extraction protocol using proteinase K, and subjected to PCR amplification using two universal bacterial primers: RW01 and DG74; then the PCR products were detected by ethidium bromide gel electrophoresis. Study: Synovial, cerebrospinal, pleural and peritoneal fluids, obtained from 32 patients were analyzed by Gram stain, culture and PCR. Results: 1. The limit of detection, determined by analyzing successive dilutions of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli cultures in sterile water, was: 1.105 cfu/100µl. 2. We obtained 9 positive samples by culture: - 7 synovial fluids: S. agalactiae, S. viridans, coagulase negative Staphylococcus (2), S. epidermidis (2), and S. aureus. - 2 pleural fluids: S. pyogenes and Enterobacter aerogenes. All were PCR positive. 3. We tested 23 culture negative samples. All were negative by PCR. Conclusion: PCR presents some interesting features: 1. Only small amount of sample is necessary (100µl). 2. The duration of the test is shorter than 8 hours. 3. PCR provides similar or eventually greater sensitivity than culture and an excellent specificity (no false-positive and no false-negative results actually observed). [less ▲]

A new theory for torsional stiffness of multi-span bundle overhead transmission lines.

in IEEE Transactions on Power Delivery (1998), 13(N°4), 1405-1411

A new theory for torsional stiffness of multi-span bundle overhead lines is presented.

Efficacy and Tolerability of Calcitonin in the Prevention and Treatment of Osteoporosis

in BioDrugs : Clinical Immunotherapeutics, Biopharmaceuticals & Gene Therapy (1998), 10(4), 295-300

Calcitonin in general, and, more specifically, salmon calcitonin (salcatonin), has been known for 30 years to be a specific inhibitor of bone resorption. Studies have confirmed its efficacy in metabolic ... [more ▼]

Calcitonin in general, and, more specifically, salmon calcitonin (salcatonin), has been known for 30 years to be a specific inhibitor of bone resorption. Studies have confirmed its efficacy in metabolic bone diseases characterised by excessive bone resorption, such as osteoporosis. Most randomised studies in which salcatonin and oral calcium were administered for 1 to 5 years to recently postmenopausal women for the prevention of osteoporosis have shown that bone mineral density or bone content of the lumbar spine increased significantly, compared with a reduction among women receiving calcium only. Prospective studies have shown that salcatonin is effective in the treatment of established osteoporosis, reducing significantly the relative risk of new vertebral fractures. The benefits of salcatonin nasal spray therapy were observed in the majority of women studied, and it has been shown to be an effective alternative for osteoporotic women more than 5 years postmenopausal who refuse estrogens, or for whom estrogens are contraindicated. Finally, in established osteoporosis, nasal calcitonin possesses a potent analgesic effect. The well-demonstrated effects of nasal calcitonin permit it to be considered a well tolerated and efficient approach for prevention and treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis. [less ▲]

Le cas clinique du mois. L'endocardite métastatique: observation clinique et revue de la littérature

in Revue Médicale de Liège (1998), 53(10), 588-91

The authors describe a case of metastatic endocarditis associated with a gastric carcinoma. The diagnosis was made early and the treatment by surgery and chemotherapy allowed a survival of 18 months ... [more ▼]

The authors describe a case of metastatic endocarditis associated with a gastric carcinoma. The diagnosis was made early and the treatment by surgery and chemotherapy allowed a survival of 18 months, which is unusually long. The differential diagnosis is discussed and includes nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis, infectious endocarditis and primary tumors of the heart. [less ▲]

Acromegalie : Consult

in Medical News (1998), 49

Cartilage, un organe à ne pas négliger !

Article for general public (1998)

Influence of end group and molecular weight on polybutadiene fingerprint secondary ion mass spectra

in Macromolecules (1998), 31(19), 6409-6416

Polybutadiene samples of different molecular weight have been synthesized by anionic polymerization as initiated by sec-butyllithium with low polydispersity and a major content of 1,2-vinyl units. They ... [more ▼]

Polybutadiene samples of different molecular weight have been synthesized by anionic polymerization as initiated by sec-butyllithium with low polydispersity and a major content of 1,2-vinyl units. They have been analyzed by time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) in order to investigate the sensitivity of this method toward the sec-butyl end group and toward the molecular weight. The SIMS spectra show the characteristic fragment of the end group, C4H9+ at m/z = 57, whose the peak intensity is strongly dependent on the polymer molecular weight, as is the case for almost all the fragment intensities. A model consistent with the peak intensity variations is used to give some new insights into the fragmentation mechanism at the end groups and within the main chain. Moreover, the analysis of the end group fragment allows Mn to be readily determined up to Mn = 4 × 104 from, for example, the Y(53)/Y(57) intensity ratio where Y(53) is the intensity of the deprotonated repeat unit ([M − H]+). Other Mn calibration methods have also been used and are discussed in terms of their accuracy and physical meaning. [less ▲]

Het Nederlands in Vlaanderen: van taalzorg naar taalbewustzijn

Conference given outside the academic context (1998)

Dépopulation de la Ville de Liège et diffusion périurbaine : quels processus pour quelles pistes de solutions ?

Conference given outside the academic context (1998)