Negligible adjuvant effect for antibody responses and frequent adverse events associated with IL-12 treatment in humans vaccinated with pneumococcal polysaccharide.

To assess whether co-administration of recombinant human IL-12 (rhIL-12) and 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV) enhances the antibody response to this T cell-independent antigen, healthy immunocompetent volunteers (n=34, 55-65 years old) were vaccinated intramusculary with PPV and concurrently-treated subcutaneously with either rhIL-12 (1 or 4 microg) or placebo. The increases of total anti-pneumococcal IgG antibodies were numerically higher among the rhIL-12 recipients compared with placebo recipients, but the difference was not significant. The rhIL-12 recipients had a high incidence of local and systemic side effects.

Resection of hepatocellular carcinoma without preoperative tumor biopsy.

Objective: To evaluate the need for a preoperative tumor biopsy of liver lesions suspicious for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Summary Background Data: With advances in liver imaging, the results of recent studies have suggested a very high accuracy of preoperative evaluation of liver masses suspicious of HCC, making preoperative tumor biopsy unnecessary.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted of all liver resections for HCC at the Toronto General and Mt.

[Multiple gastrointestinal tract duplication : a neonatal case report].

We report the case of newborn with multiple GI tract duplication cysts. Prenatal diagnosis was that of duodenal stenosis. A complete screening for polymalformative syndrome is required in the neonatal period and the authors insist on the importance of US and color Doppler US imaging.

Proximity arteriography: cost-effectiveness in asymptomatic penetrating extremity trauma.

Purpose: Many urban trauma centers have abandoned proximity arteriography, which is defined as exclusion arteriography used to evaluate the asymptomatic patient with penetrating extremity trauma near major arteries. However, decision analysis has not been applied to study proximity arteriography.

Materials And Methods: The cost-effectiveness of proximity arteriography was examined by creating a decision model that compared arteriography with observation after patient examination in the trauma unit.

The hippurate ratio as an indicator of functional hepatic reserve for resection of hepatocellular carcinoma in cirrhotic patients.

Predicting the ability of the cirrhotic liver to withstand resection remains a challenge for the surgeon. This study evaluates the use of the hippurate ratio, a novel assessment of glycine conjugation of para-aminobenzoic acid by the liver, as a preoperative indicator of functional hepatic reserve. Between 1998 and 2000, sixty-one cirrhotic patients were prospectively assessed for hepatic resection using the hippurate ratio, indocyanine green retention at 15 minutes (ICG R-15), and other standard measures of liver function.

[Tetralogy of Fallot in monozygotic twins].

Unlabelled: The causative mechanisms of congenital heart defects remain unclear and little is known about the respective implication of chance, genetics and environment, though recent findings in molecular biology may provide further insight into understanding the pathophysiologic basis of congenital heart diseases.

Case Report: We report the exceptional but significant case of monozygotic twins both affected by tetralogy of Fallot, for whom prenatal diagnosis ruled out 22q11 microdeletion.

Conclusion: We discuss how far this observation is consistent with the latest hypothesis, which emphasizes the leading role of genetic factors.

Inverse detection and heteronuclear editing in 1H-15N correlation and 1H-1H double-quantum NMR spectroscopy in the solid state under fast MAS.

Signal enhancement in heteronuclear correlation spectra as well as signal selection in 1H experiments can be achieved through inverse, i.e., 1H, detection in the solid state under fast MAS conditions.

Recurrence of hydatid disease.

Surgical management of hepatic hydatid disease has been associated with an overall local recurrence rate of approximately 10%. Local recurrence is rarely seen following complete resection of an intact cyst and is usually the result of spillage of live parasites or leaving a residual cyst wall containing germinal epithelium, daughter cysts, or protoscolices during surgery. Recurrence is frequently asymptomatic, so the diagnosis depends on dedicated follow-up of treated patients with serology and either ultrasonography or computed tomography.

Physicians' attitudes towards health telematics--an empirical survey.

Telemedical networks and services have received high attention in professional and scientific media in the recent past. In Germany some institutions and few physicians volunteer in experimenting with diverse telemedical service offerings. However, much is speculated but little is known about attitudes and expectations of the majority of physicians in local offices towards this new medium.

Prenatal sonographic diagnosis of skeletal dysplasias. A report of 47 cases.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the foetal sonographic efficiency for prenatal diagnosis of osteochondrodysplasias. Forty-seven prenatal and postnatal cases diagnosed between January 1993 and December 1998 in the referral sonographic centres of Strasbourg were studied. All cases were reviewed retrospectively and the prenatal ultrasound findings and diagnosis were compared to the postnatal or post-mortem diagnosis.

Antiphospholipid antibodies and preeclampsia: a case-control study.

Objective: To assess the association between the occurrence first of preeclampsia and antiphospholipid antibodies.

Methods: We conducted a prospective case-control study of 180 pregnant women with their first incidents of preeclampsia and no histories of thrombosis or systemic autoimmune diseases. Preeclampsia (n = 180) was defined as blood pressure (BP) at least 140/90 mmHg after 20 weeks' gestation and proteinuria at least 0.

[Bone marrow cellularity in acute lymphoblastic leukemia of children].

The early response to therapy in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is typically assessed by bone marrow status. The clearance of blast cells in peripheral blood and bone marrow during induction therapy was analysed in 38 children (27 precursor-B-ALL and 11 precursor T-ALL) treated according to BFM90 or New York 93 protocols. Leukocyte count and peripheral blood smear taken at diagnosis, day 8, day 14 and day 33 as well as bone marrow cellularity and percentage of blasts on days: 0, 14, 33 were analysed.

Sudden interchannel interaction in the Tl 6p ionization above the 5d threshold.

The linear magnetic dichroism in the angular distribution of Tl 5d and 6p photoelectrons and their dynamical spin polarization have been measured between hnu = 30 and 50 eV. In contrast to the Xe 5p photoionization at the 4d threshold, our results show that above the Tl 5d threshold strong interchannel coupling effects induce a sudden increase in the asymptotic phase difference of the s and d waves for the Tl 6p ionization. This shows that the valence excitation is different for resonant (Xe 4d) and nonresonant (Tl 5d) excitation from subvalence shells.

Biliary stenting versus bypass surgery for the palliation of malignant distal bile duct obstruction: a meta-analysis.

The objective of this analysis is to compare endoscopic stenting with surgical bypass in patients with unresectable, malignant, distal common bile duct obstruction using the technique of meta-analysis. The inclusion criteria for the studies were randomized patient assignment, publication in the English language, 20 or more patients per group, all patients followed up until death, and follow-up and complications reported in an equivalent way for both treatment arms. Data extraction was performed independently by 2 of the authors.

Congenital cholesteatoma and cholesterol granuloma of the temporal bone: role of magnetic resonance imaging.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be of significant benefit in characterizing expansile lesions of the petrous apex. MRI can be of particular help in distinguishing congenital cholesteatoma from cholesterol granuloma. Furthermore, with the advent of faster high-resolution scanning techniques, MRI can define precise spatial relationships of these masses with the middle and inner ear structures, internal carotid artery, jugular vein, and other structures of the skull base.

Distinct internalization of M2 muscarinic acetylcholine receptors confers selective and long-lasting desensitization of signaling to phospholipase C.

Although M1-M4 muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) in HEK-293 cells internalize on agonist stimulation, only M1, M3, and M4 but not M2 mAChRs recycle to the plasma membrane. To investigate the functional consequences of this phenomenon, we compared desensitization and resensitization of M2 versus M4 mAChRs. Treatment with 1 mM carbachol for 1 h at 37 degrees C reduced numbers of cell surface M2 and M4 mAChRs by 40-50% and M2 and M4 mAChR-mediated inhibition of adenylyl cyclase, intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) increases, and phospholipase C (PLC) activation by 60-70%.

Glomerular expression of dystroglycans is reduced in minimal change nephrosis but not in focal segmental glomerulosclerosis.

Extensive flattening of podocyte foot processes and increased permeability of the glomerular capillary filter are the major pathologic features of minimal change nephrosis (MCN) and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). Adhesion proteins anchor and stabilize podocytes on the glomerular basement membrane (GBM), and presumably are involved in the pathogenesis of foot process flattening. Thus far, ao3 P,-integrin was localized to basal cell membrane domains.

Hepatic resection of noncolorectal nonneuroendocrine metastases.

Because hepatic resection is generally a safe procedure, the indications for resection of noncolorectal nonneuroendocrine (NCNNE) hepatic metastases have broadened. The prognostic features of NCNNE metastases treated surgically were reviewed to define better the value of resection. A retrospective review of patients undergoing liver resection for NCNNE metastases between 1978 and 1998 was undertaken.

Two cases of Townes-Brocks syndrome.

Townes-Brocks syndrome (TBS) has been recognized as a dominant inherited syndrome. We report 2 cases of TBS. Case 1 was operated on for imperforate anus.