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A novel chitosan sulfate (ChS) which is insoluble at acidic pHs was synthesized and then dispersed in calcium alginate hydrogel beads to be used to remove Cd(II) from aqueous solutions at acidic pHs using a batch process and a continuous process. By batch wise experiments, it was found that the equilibrium adsorption capacity of the Alg-ChS beads increase with the increase in the initial concentration of Cd; however, the percentage of Cd removal decreased.The Freundlich model had the best fit to the experimental adsorption equilibrium data. The adsorption rate of Cd onto Alg-ChS beads followed the kinetic model of pseudo-second order and the time to reach equilibrium increased slightly with increasing initial concentration of Cd(II). The removal of Cd using a fixed bed column (continuous process) packed with the Alg-ChS beads had a much higher efficiencythan the Batch process. An adsorption mechanism of Cd(II) onto the Alg-ChS beads was proposed using the FTIR, and XPS spectra of samples of Cd(II) adsorbed onto ChS and the mechanisms of adsorption of metals by alginate and chitosan proposed by other authors.

The kinetic and thermodynamics of adsorption of Red Dye 40 from acidic aqueous solutions onto a partially sulfated chitosan (ChS) was studied. The partially sulfated ChS was water insoluble in the pH range of 2-12. Experiments were carried out batch wise to determine the effect of pH, dye concentration, and temperature on the adsorption capacity of ChStowards Red Dye 40. It was found that the equilibrium dye-binding capacity of ChS (qe) increased with increasing initial dye concentration; however, the percentage of dye removal decreased. Dye adsorption capacity of ChS increased when the solution pH was reduced. The Langmuir model was better fitted the experimental adsorption equilibrium data, and therate of dye adsorption onto ChS follows the pseudosecond order kinetic model. The adsorption capacity of ChS was enhanced by increasing the temperature.The thermodynamic adsorption parameters, enthalpy(ΔH°), entropy (ΔS°), and Gibbs energy (ΔG°) were evaluated. The adsorption process was endothermic, and the Gibbs energy negative indicating that it occurred spontaneously.

The case of a newborn with Down's syndrome and congenital leukaemia is reported. The malignant white blood cells displayed the CD41 antigen (glycoprotein Ilb/IIIa) identified by monoclonal antibodies HP1-ld and FMC24 and the CD9/p24 antigen identified by monoclonal antibody FMC27. The number of cells in S-phase was 14%, as assessed by the incorporation of 5-bromo 2-deoxyuridine. No other chromosomal abnormalities were identified in addition to 47 XY + 21. The patient died 15 days after the diagnosis, due to Pneumocystis Carinii pneumonia. Post-mortem examination showed heavy leukaemic infiltration and cardiac abnormalities including inter-atrial septal defect and a patent Ductus arteriosus. This patient appears to be the first identified case of congenital leukaemia with megakaryocytic differentiation, although previous instances of transient abnormal myelopoiesis with megakaryocytic differentiation have been recorded in Down's syndrome.

Objetivo: Determinar los beneficios del reciclaje y tratamiento de residuos inorgánicos usando procesos físicos enla Universidad Nacional José Faustino Sánchez Carrión. Materiales y Método: Los materiales que se recolectan comúnmente son: papel /cartón, plástico, varios (vidrio, tecnoport, etc.) que son frecuentemente recuperados para reutilizar o reciclar. Esto es un indicio de la posibilidad de recuperar materiales para el reciclaje. Se caracterizó los residuos sólidos generados en nuestra universidad. Se aplicó encuestas para recolectar información de los estudiantes de las diferentes escuelas. Asimismo, se recolectó, pesó y se analizó la composición de las muestras de residuos sólidos, tomadas durante dos semanas. Resultados: Se muestra que las principales transformaciones físicas que podemos realizar en la operación de un sistema de gestión son la separación de componentes, reducción mecánica de volumen y reducción de tamaño en forma mecánica. Dentro de los beneficios del reciclaje los estudiantes dan mayor importancia a los beneficios económicos y sociales que a los beneficios ambientales.La materia orgánica constituye el principal componente y la mayoría es de tipo alimenticio. Muchos de los materiales de los desechos sólidos pueden ser reciclados

The results of the treatment of 43 patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (PML) are reported: 27 were treated initially with all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA), whereas 16 were treated with conventional chemotherapy. All patients received myelosuppressive chemotherapy after the initial treatment. Respectively, the complete remission rate was 92% and 37% (P < 0.01), the 5-day mortality rate was 0% and 44% (P < 0.001), and the 28-day mortality rate was 4% and 44% (P < 0.001). The median disease-free survival was 12 and 1 months (P < 0.01), whereas the 12-month disease-free survival was 50% and 13% (P < 0.01) and the 36-month disease-free survival was 41% and 9% (P < 0.01). Thirteen of the patients treated with ATRA were given the treatment fully as outpatients. ATRA given as initial therapy decreased significantly early mortality in promyelocytic leukemia patients; because some promyelocytic leukemia patients given ATRA as initial therapy can be treated as outpatients, the costs of this treatment modality may be diminished.

Background Methods to simplify bone marrow transplantation procedures are needed mainly in developing countries. Methods Between May 1993 and February 1999 in a private-practice setting, we performed 29 autotransplants in 28 patients using non-cryopreserved and unmanipulated peripheral blood stem cells mobilized from the bone marrow to the peripheral blood by means of hematopoietic growth factors. The autografting procedure was performed entirely on an outpatient basis in 19 cases (65%). The median age of the patients was 30 years, with a range of 9–67. There were 15 patients with acute leukemia (9 with acute myelogenous leukemia), 3 with chronic myelogenous leukemia, 2 with multiple myeloma, 3 with Hodgkin's disease, 2 with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and 4 with metastatic breast carcinoma. Results The median time to achieve >0.5 × 10 9 /L granulocytes was 14 days (range 7–42), whereas the median time to achieve >20 × 10 9 /L platelets was 20 days (range 5–49). The 64-month post-transplant survival was 38%, whereas the median post-transplant survival was 18 months. The transplant-related mortality was 3.4%. The approximate cost of this simplified procedure was 10.8% for in-hospital procedures and for outpatient autografts, substantially lower than figures reported from the U.S. for autotransplants. Conclusions This simplified method for autografting patients, avoiding in-hospital stays, purging procedures and cryopreservation of the cells is feasible and results in a substantial decrease of the cost of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation methods.

We assessed the value of bone marrow biopsy prospectively in a group of 91 individuals with Hodgkin's disease. The median age of our population was 29 years (range 4-87 years); 59 were males. Most patients (45%) had nodular sclerosing disease and most patients (44%) were in pathological stage II at diagnosis. The bone marrow biopsy showed infiltration by Hodgkin's disease in only three individuals (3.3%); two of these patients displayed constitutional symptoms and had been assigned to stage III before the biopsy. In one case, bone marrow biopsy was the diagnostic procedure, which was performed as part of the investigation of fever of unknown origin. Follow-up periods ranged between 1 and 117 months (median 16 months). All patients achieved complete remission, seven patients relapsed and four were given autologous stem cell transplants. The median survival of the whole group was 117 months, while the 3500-day survival was 76%. As bone marrow biopsy was the diagnostic procedure in one case, bone marrow biopsy was a useful staging procedure in only 2.2% of patients (two out of 90 patients). We suggest that bone marrow biopsy should be only be performed as a staging procedure in a selected subset of patients with Hodgkin's disease (clinical stage III, B symptoms, etc.).

The prognosis and long-term results of a group of 57 acute megakaryoblastic leukaemia (M7-AML) patients was analysed from a multicentre perspective. Ages ranged from 4 to 83 years, median 49 years; 30 were males and 27 were females. The median follow-up time was 7 months, range 1-24 months. Early exits occurred in 12 cases, their median age being 71 years. Forty-five patients were treated with combined aggressive chemotherapy (CT) (n = 26) or low-dose cytarabine (LD-AraC) (n = 19). The following results were obtained with combined CT or AraC, respectively. Complete remission (CR) rates were 73% and 84%, 12-month survival (SV) were 37% and 26%, 24-month SV were 12% and 11%, median SV 10 and 4 months, and relapse rates (RR) were 68% and 94%. These differences were not statistically significant. Irrespective of the treatment modality, the results were better for children (n = 10) than for adults (n = 35): RR rates were 90% and 74%, median SV: 7 and 5 months, 12-month SV: 40% and 22%, 24-month SV; 30% and 9%, and RR: 78% and 81%, respectively; these differences also were not statistically significant. In addition, a literature review of 42 patients from 18 previous reports is presented, including seven cases treated with allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT). The best results were obtained with BMT: 12 and 24 month SV was 86% and the RR was 0%. On the above-mentioned basis, we feel that children and young adults with M7-AML should be offered BMT. In patients over 60 years old or not eligible for aggressive chemotherapy or BMT, an interesting possibility would be the use of LD-AraC which allows a high CR rate, followed by a classical consolidation regimen in order to prevent early relapses.

Increased thrombogenesis observed in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is derived from multiple mechanisms, including: Enhanced coagulation factor VIII:VWf activity, lupus anticoagulants, anti-phospholipid antibodies, acquired deficiencies of natural anti-thrombotic mechanisms (protein C, protein S, anti-thrombin III), and impaired fibrinolytic mechanisms. We studied the fibrinolytic mechanisms of 18 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, selected carefully to avoid other possible causes of abnormalities in the fibrinolytic activity. Despite the fact that the euglobulin lysis time in steady state was normal in all instances, disturbances in the tissue plasminogen activator/plasminogen activator inhibitor (TPA/PAI) system were found in all SLE patients: TPA activity was undetectable in all cases, whereas it was above 0.4 IU/ml in a control group. In 72 percent of patients, the undetectable TPA activity was correlated with abnormally high PAI activity; PAI levels were normal in all members of the control group, their mean value being 0.74 versus 8.63 IU/ml for SLE patients (P less than .01). Coagulation protein C deficiency was found in 3 patients (17%). Even though within normal range, fibrinogen levels were significantly higher in SLE than in normal controls (219 versus 192 mg/dl, P less than .01) and plasminogen levels were significantly higher in SLE than in controls (117 versus 78.2%, P less than .01). Cross-linked fibrin derivatives (D-D dimers) were negative in all patients with SLE. Sixty-eight percent of SLE patients had high levels of antiphospholipid antibodies, but no correlation with the disturbances of the TPA/PAI system was found. It is concluded that most patients with SLE display severe abnormalities in the TPA/PAI anti-thrombotic system and that these abnormalities may be related to the lupus thrombophilia, apparently multifactorial in its origin.

Background. The chronic myeloproliferative diseases (CMPDs) include chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), primary (essential) thrombocythemia (PT), agnogenic myeloid metaplasia (AMM), and polycythemia vera (PV). Certain hematological malignancies have a different prevalence in our country than in countries with Caucasian populations. Data indicate that the prevalence of CML in our country is similar to that found in Caucasians; however, the prevalence of the other CMPDs has not been studied. Methods. In a total of 8069 individuals studied between June 1983 and March 2001 in the Centro de Hematologia y Medicina Interna de Puebla, we assessed the prevalence of CML, PT, AMM, and PV. Some of the clinical features of these individuals were also assessed. Results and Conclusions. Forty-nine patients with CML, 14 with PT, 7 with AMM, and 3 with PV were identified. The clinical presentations of these CMPDs were not different from those described in Caucasians. Conclusions.We found that CML was more than 3 times more frequent than PT, that both PV and AMM were exceptional, and that PT, AMM, and PV were significantly less frequent in Mexican than in Caucasian populations (P < .01).Int J Hematol. 2002;75:499–502.

El mieloma múltiple es una enfermedad caracterizada por una proliferación de células neoplásicas plasmáticas en la médula ósea y la producción de una inmunoglobulina monoclonal. Se aporta el caso de un mieloma IgA y se describe la epidemiología, clínica, diagnóstico y tratamiento del mieloma múltiple. Se resalta la importancia de la diferenciación con la gammapatía monoclonal de significado incierto, que es la causa más común de banda monoclonal en suero u orina y que no requiere tratamiento quimioterápico. El seguimiento de estos pacientes a largo plazo determina que el 16% desarrollará un mieloma múltiple. The multiple myeloma is a disorder characterised by a proliferation of malignant plasma cells in the bone marrow and production of a monoclonal inmunoglobulin. We report a case of a IgA multiple myeloma and we describe the epidemiology, clinical features, diagnosis and treatment of this disease. It is very important to differenciate it from the gammopathy of undetermined significance, the most common cause of the presence of a monoclonal component in serum or urine, wich not requires chemotherapy. The follow- up of this patients has shown that multiple myeloma develops in up to 16 percent.