The influence of cash assistance on the localisation agenda in Kenya's humanitarian sector.

Unlabelled: Cash and voucher assistance (CVA) has gained importance as a modality for humanitarian disaster response during the last decade. Research has documented its benefits and listed challenges for implementation. Simultaneously, humanitarian organisations have committed to the localisation agenda to better serve people affected by disasters through local actors.

The stagnation of innovation in humanitarian cash assistance.

Cash and voucher assistance (CVA) has been gaining traction among humanitarian organizations as the preferred aid modality in disaster relief and complex emergencies. While the advantages of cash are well documented, the ongoing digitalization of cash and the emergence of innovative financial instruments can be associated with new operational challenges and a stagnation in innovation. This paper reflects on the changing environment in CVA as a result of technological breakthroughs in the global financial system.

Method for assessment of vascular reactivity in bone: in vitro studies on resistance arteries isolated from porcine cancellous bone.

Knowledge about vascular regulation in bone is central to the understanding of both normal and pathological bone physiology. This article describes a new method for direct assessment of the reactivity of bone blood vessels. Resistance arteries (diameter approximately 250 microns) were isolated from epiphyseal cancellous bone (porcine femoral condyle).

Hormone replacement therapy after transcervical resection of the endometrium.

Objective: To determine if women who have undergone transcervical resection of the endometrium can be treated safely with estrogens alone.

Methods: Sixty-two postmenopausal women who had undergone endometrial resection were recruited into a double-blind, randomized study. Twenty-one had menopausal symptoms at the primary operation and were recruited at the time of the surgery, and 38 were recruited an average of 20 months (range 8-42) after the primary endometrial resection and underwent a second resection to remove any residual endometrium before entering the study.

The prognostic value of oncogenic antigen 519 (OA-519) expression and proliferative activity detected by antibody MIB-1 in node-negative breast cancer.

The prognostic value of oncogenic antigen 519 (OA-519) expression and tumour proliferative activity was evaluated in a retrospective series of 118 patients with low-risk breast cancer. Low risk was defined as negative axillary nodes, tumour diameter < or = 50 mm, and no histological evidence of invasion of skin or deep fascia (= T1N0M0 and T2N0M0). The median follow-up time was 104 months (range 5-143 months).

Angiotensin-converting enzyme activity and contractile effects of angiotensin I and II in human uteroplacental arteries.

Objective: Our purpose was to study local angiotensin-converting enzyme activity and the mechanical effects of angiotensin I and II in human uteroplacental arteries.

Study Design: Angiotensin-converting enzyme activity was measured by a simple radioimmunoassay with tritiated benzoyl-glycyl-glycyl-glycine as substrate in isolated human intramyometrial arteries from nonpregnant (n = 8) and term pregnant women (n = 8) and placental (n = 8) stem villous arteries. Moreover, in these vessels the mechanical effects of angiotensin I and II were investigated in organ bath experiments.

Classification of tubulo-papillary renal cortical tumours using estimates of nuclear volume.

The classification of renal cortical tumours is problematic, with no clear division of benign from malignant tumours. Unbiased stereological estimates of volume-weighted nuclear volume (nuclear vv) were obtained by point sampling of nuclear intercepts in a retrospective study of 36 variably sized tubulo-papillary basophilic cell renal cortical tumours. There was no clear pattern of evolution of nuclear vv with increasing macroscopic tumour diameter.

Human skeletal muscle digitalis glycoside receptors (Na,K-ATPase)--importance during digitalization.

The aims of the present study were to evaluate in humans the putative importance of skeletal muscle digitalis glycoside receptors (Na,K-ATPase) in the volume of distribution of digoxin and to assess whether therapeutic digoxin exposure might cause digitalis receptor upregulation in skeletal muscle. Samples of the vastus lateralis were obtained postmortem from 11 long-term (9 months to 9 years) digitalized (125-187.5 micrograms daily) and eight undigitalized subjects.

Acute tissue effects during transcervical endometrial resection.

The acute tissue effects of transcervical endometrial resection (TCRE) with a standard Iglesias resectoscope using glycine 1.5% for irrigation were studied in 8 women prior to hysterectomy. Combinations of 80 or 120 W cutting current with blend 1 or 2 were applied for endometrial resection, preceded by cornual endometrial coagulation with the roller ball electrode with a coagulation effect of 40 or 60 W.

No upregulation of digitalis glycoside receptor (Na,K-ATPase) concentration in human heart left ventricle samples obtained at necropsy after long term digitalisation.

Study Objective: The aim was to evaluate the hypothesis that digitalis glycosides increase the concentration of their specific receptor (Na,K-ATPase) in human myocardial tissue, thereby possibly reducing the inotropic effect of long term digitalis treatment.

Design: Intact samples of left ventricle were obtained at necropsy from patients who had been on long term treatment with digoxin and from patients not previously given digoxin. Digitalis glycoside receptors were quantified using vanadate facilitated 3H-ouabain binding before and after washing samples in buffer containing excess digoxin antibody fragments for 16 h at 30 degrees C.

Ultrastructure of renal adenoma.

Renal adenomas, defined as minute cortical foci of proliferating epithelium, are frequently occurring lesions reported to be present in 15%-22% of all adult human kidneys. They can often be found in kidneys with renal cell carcinoma. Their light microscopic structure makes it improbable that they should represent intrarenal metastases.

Renal angiomyolipoma: an ultrastructural investigation of three cases with histogenetic considerations.

Renal angiomyolipoma is a rare lesion composed of smooth muscle cells, adipose tissue and abnormal vessels. It is currently classified as a benign, non-epithelial renal tumor. It has a high incidence in patients suffering from tuberous sclerosis but is more frequently found as an isolated renal lesion.

Expression of segment-specific antigens in the human nephron and in renal epithelial tumors.

The immunohistological staining patterns of several hundred monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) were studied in normal human kidney tissue. Seven Mabs, 3 hematopoietic (F103.12/CD10, MY7/CD13, 3C4/CD15) and 4 non-hematopoietic (LP34, E29, HEA81, HEA125) revealed a segment-specific or pan-nephron staining.

Ultrastructure of nodular renal blastema and sclerotic metanephric hamartoma.

In the course of a prospective study of renal neoplasms involving rapid fixation by perfusion of the nephrectomy specimens, optimally perfusion-fixed tissue was obtained from complexes of nodular blastema and sclerotic hamartoma situated in a kidney with Wilms' tumour. Ultrastructure of these focal maturation defects showed great similarity to normal metanephric blastema and embryonal tubules as well as to blastemal and tubular components in diffuse nephroblastematosis and Wilms' tumours.

The phrenic syndrome in salpingitis ("acute perihepatitis") explained by absorption of exudates from the peritoneal cavity through the diaphragm.

Referring to a recent report given in Acta Chirurgica Scandinavica of 14 cases of acute perihepatitis in young females with genital inflammation, the pathogenesis of which was claimed unknown, a recapitulation is given of previously published investigations on the clinical significance of the absorption of exudates and particulate matters from the peritoneal cavity in man through the lymphatics of the diaphragm. The pathogenesis of metastases in the supraclavicular nodes (Virchow) and of ascites in peritoneal carcinomatosis is mentioned.