Assessment of gastrointestinal function and its' effect on bone mineral density and body composition in hypermobility spectrum disorder and hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

Background: Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS) and Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders (HSD) are associated with hypermobility, musculoskeletal pain, a decreased bone mineral density (BMD) and gastrointestinal (GI) complications. The role of GI symptoms and diet in BMD has not been established in this population. The GI complications can lead to an energy deficit due to lack of essential macronutrients.

The complete genome of an individual by massively parallel DNA sequencing.

The association of genetic variation with disease and drug response, and improvements in nucleic acid technologies, have given great optimism for the impact of 'genomic medicine'. However, the formidable size of the diploid human genome, approximately 6 gigabases, has prevented the routine application of sequencing methods to deciphering complete individual human genomes. To realize the full potential of genomics for human health, this limitation must be overcome.

Genome sequencing in microfabricated high-density picolitre reactors.

The proliferation of large-scale DNA-sequencing projects in recent years has driven a search for alternative methods to reduce time and cost. Here we describe a scalable, highly parallel sequencing system with raw throughput significantly greater than that of state-of-the-art capillary electrophoresis instruments. The apparatus uses a novel fibre-optic slide of individual wells and is able to sequence 25 million bases, at 99% or better accuracy, in one four-hour run.

Serum cytokine values and fatigue in chronic hepatitis C infection.

Patients with chronic hepatitis C infection often experience fatigue. In many clinical situations, an association between fatigue and altered serum cytokine levels has been found. Altered cytokine levels in patients with hepatitis C have not shown a correlation with the degree of serum transaminase elevation or pathological change on liver biopsy.

Lamivudine treatment for decompensated cirrhosis resulting from chronic hepatitis B.

The prognosis of decompensated cirrhosis resulting from chronic hepatitis B is poor, and the benefits of treatment with interferon are outweighed by serious side effects and by the risk of fatal exacerbation of disease activity. Lamivudine rapidly reduces hepatitis B virus (HBV)-DNA in serum to undetectable levels. We have treated 35 patients with chronic hepatitis B and decompensated cirrhosis with lamivudine 100 mg or 150 mg orally once daily.

[Cost of hormonal substitution treatment].

Hormone replacement therapy during menopause constitutes a long-lasting preventive treatment. The possibilities of prescriptions are varied. It is therefore important to individualise one's choice according to different criteria: simplicity, tolerance, effectiveness, comfort, cost.

Response to interferon therapy: influence of human leucocyte antigen alleles in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

The response to interferon (IFN) therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C is characterized by normalization of the serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity during treatment, but relapse within 6 months of cessation of therapy is common. Viral characteristics, such as the genotype and viral load, may influence the patient response to IFN. The aim of this study was to examine host factors, namely the genetically determined human leucocyte antigen (HLA) class II alleles, in patients with chronic hepatitis C, and their relationship to the response to IFN therapy.

Agreement between different frequencies of measurements in ambulatory blood pressure monitoring.

The purpose of this study was to determine the degree of agreement among different frequencies of blood pressure measurements (FoM) in 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) in their ability to obtain useful clinical information. ABPM records were obtained with a Del Mar IV Avionics device from 49 hospitalised preeclamptic women with a FoM of 7 per hour (high-FoM). With these records, we simulated two sets of data as if measurements had been recorded at a rate of 1 measurement per hour (low-FoM) and of 2 per hour (medium-FoM).

High-dose gammaglobulin (IVIG) followed by intrauterine transfusions (IUTs): a new alternative for the treatment of severe fetal hemolytic disease.

Intrauterine fetal transfusion is currently the therapy of choice in cases of severe anti-D isoimmunisation. However, its efficacy is reduced in patients with early severe hydrops fetalis due to the technical difficulties in performing this procedure before 20 weeks' gestation. The purpose of this study was to determine whether early onset of high-dose gammaglobulin therapy followed by intrauterine transfusions (IUTs) is more effective than IUTs alone in the treatment of very severe isoimmunised fetuses.

The endoscopic assessment of esophagitis: a progress report on observer agreement.

Background & Aims: The study and management of reflux esophagitis require an endoscopic classification system founded on esophageal lesions that can be reproducibly identified. The aim of this study was to investigate interobserver agreement for the identification of endoscopic lesions typical of reflux esophagitis.

Methods: Paired comparisons of observers' descriptions were obtained.

[Diagnostic score for acute appendicitis].

Scoring systems seem to be ideal for supporting diagnosis of acute appendicitis because they are non invasive, require no special equipment and can be used in clinical routine. Several scores for appendicitis have been developed with good results in the original publications. Unfortunately these good results could not be reproduced on a German data base.

Neonatal administration of high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin in rhesus hemolytic disease.

Our aim was to assess the effectiveness of neonatal treatment of Rh hemolytic disease with high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin (HDIVIG), in reducing neonatal hemolysis. A total of 40 neonates born to isoimmunized Rh negative women were studied. The population was randomized into 2 groups: Group 1 received IVIG 800 mg/kg/day for 3 days, plus phototherapy; and Group 2 received only phototherapy.

[Misoprostol--a PGE1 analog for induction of labor at term: comparative and randomized study with oxytocin].

The efficacy of misoprostol (a PGE1 analog) for induction of labor at term was compared with oxytocin by means of an open and randomized study in 153 pregnant women. A vaginal tablet containing 50 mcg of misoprostol was placed intravaginally in 78 women, the remaining 75 patients received i.v.

On-orbit performance of the Hubble Space Telescope fine guidance sensors.

The observed and measured on-orbit performance of various aspects of the fine guidance sensors is presented and discussed in the light of the original requirements and predictions. The fine guidance sensors are shown to meet or exceed the original requirements concerning dynamic pointing errors, photometric repeatability, and moving-target tracking capability. Calibration accuracy has been sufficient for observations to date, and fine-lock acquisitions are approaching a 100% success rate.

Primary pulmonary cryptococcosis presenting as a superior sulcus tumor.

A patient underwent resection of a superior sulcus tumor after an extensive workup was nondiagnostic. Postoperatively, primary pulmonary cryptococcosis was diagnosed. Management of this patient is presented along with a review of the literature.

Cadralazine for the treatment of preeclampsia. An open, noncomparative, dose-finding pilot study.

The antihypertensive effect, tolerability, and influence on placental and fetal circulation of cadralazine, a 6-substituted derivative of 3-hydrazinopyridoxine structurally related to hydralazine, was assessed in 46 preeclamptic patients in the third trimester of pregnancy and with diastolic blood pressure of 100-120 mm Hg after 24 hours of bed rest. Patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria at the initial report (24-48-hour run-in period after hospitalization) entered the titration period. During titration, cadralazine was administered at an initial dose of 5 mg once a day; if after 3 days diastolic blood pressure was still above 90 mm Hg, 5 mg more was added for another 3 days, and so forth, until the maximum dose (20 mg once a day) was reached.

Sequence similarity between Photosystems I and II. Identification of a Photosystem I reaction center transmembrane helix that is similar to transmembrane helix IV of the D2 subunit of Photosystem II and the M subunit of the non-sulfur purple and flexible green bacteria.

There are basic structural similarities between plant PS II and bacterial RCs of the Chloroflexaceae and Rhodospirillaceae. These RCs are referred to as PS II-type RCs. A similar relationship of PS I RC to PS II-type RCs has not been established.

High-dose intravenous IgG for the treatment of severe rhesus alloimmunization.

The value of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) in the treatment of 24 severely Rh-sensitized pregnant women was studied. IVIG was infused at a daily dose of 0.4 g/kg maternal body weight for 4-5 consecutive days, and was administered again 15-21 days later until delivery, depending on the evolution of the hemolytic disease.

Noninvasive ambulatory blood pressure control in normotensive pregnant women.

Twenty-four hour noninvasive, automatic and ambulatory control of blood pressure (BP) was carried out on 11 normotensive pregnant women in the third trimester of pregnancy with a Del Mar Avionics Model 1978 Pressurometer III System at 7.5 min intervals during 24 h. The patients kept a detailed record of their activities during those 24 h.