Three-dimensional spiral computed tomographic angiography: an alternative imaging modality for the abdominal aorta and its branches.

Purpose: We sought to apply a new technique of computed tomographic angiography (CTA) to the preoperative and postoperative assessment of the abdominal aorta and its branches.

Methods: After a peripheral intravenous contrast injection, the patient is continuously advanced through a spiral CT scanner, while maintaining a 30-second breath-hold. Thirty-five patients with abdominal aortic, renal, and visceral arterial disease have undergone CTA.

Early experience with cryopreserved saphenous vein allografts as a conduit for complex limb-salvage procedures.

Purpose: The lack of a suitable alternative to autogenous vein is often the limiting factor for complex lower extremity vascular reconstruction, especially when previously placed grafts have failed. Cryopreserved saphenous vein allografts have been used as an alternative conduit. This report reviews our early experience with this conduit in a series of complex redo revascularization procedures for limb salvage when no suitable autogenous vein was available.

External septorhinoplasty in children: Outcome and effect on growth of septal excision and reimplantation.

Outcome and effect on nasal growth of external septorhinoplasty was evaluated in 32 children. All had septal disease anterior to the nasal spine. In all cases, the cartilaginous septum was totally excised, refashioned, and then reinserted.

Adelaide river rhabdovirus expresses consecutive glycoprotein genes as polycistronic mRNAs: new evidence of gene duplication as an evolutionary process.

A 3914 nucleotide region of the Adelaide River virus (ARV) genome, located immediately downstream of the M2 gene, has been cloned and sequenced. The region contains two long open reading frames (ORFs). The first encodes a protein comprising 660 amino acids which shares extensive sequence homology with the virion G protein of bovine ephemeral fever virus (BEFV) and less but significant homology with other rhabdovirus glycoproteins.

Catecholamine-secreting paraganglioma of the pterygopalatine fossa: case report.

The third reported case of a pheochromocytoma-like syndrome attributable to a catecholamine-secreting paraganglioma arising within the pterygopalatine fossa is documented. The 25-year-old, female subject was found to have raised levels of urinary catecholamines. At another center, a large vascular tumor was identified at lateral rhinotomy.

Initial clinical experience with a new model of mass transfer for peritoneal dialysis.

A clinical pilot study compared predictions of a new model of peritoneal dialysis mass transfer to measured weekly KT/V urea (KTu/V) and weekly creatinine clearance (Ccr) in liters per 1.73 m2 in 50 patients from five centers (40 CAPD, 10 CCPD). The Robertson et al.

Objective evaluation of the quality of palliation in patients with oesophageal cancer comparing surgery, radiotherapy and intubation.

The objective of this study was to prospectively evaluate the quality of palliation of 103 patients presenting to a joint oesophageal cancer clinic while recording the outcome in terms of treatment, morbidity, mortality and long-term survival. Twenty-five patients underwent surgical resection (S), 22 radical radiotherapy (RR), 30 palliative radiotherapy (PR), 13 intubation (I) and 13 had no treatment (NT). The quality of palliation was quantified by plotting a score out of 100 on a graph at each visit for Karnofsky performance, severity of pain and swallowing ability, then calculating the area under each curve created using an algorithm, Simpson's discrete approximation.

The genome of bovine ephemeral fever rhabdovirus contains two related glycoprotein genes.

A 3789 nucleotide region of the bovine ephemeral fever virus (BEFV) genome, located 1.65 kb downstream of the N gene, has been cloned and sequenced. The region contains two long open reading frames (ORFs) which are bounded by putative consensus (AACAGG) and polyadenylation (CATG[A]7) sequences and are separated by an intergenic region of 53 nucleotides.

A blocking ELISA for the detection of specific antibodies to bovine ephemeral fever virus.

A blocking ELISA (B/ELISA) for detecting antibodies to bovine ephemeral fever virus (BEFV) in cattle is described. In this test, the binding capacity of a monoclonal antibody specific for an epitope on antigenic site G1 of the BEF virus glycoprotein is blocked in the presence of positive serum. The sensitivity of the B/ELISA was compared with the virus neutralisation (VN) test using a total of 380 sera from cattle.

Bilateral mycotic axillary artery false aneurysms in an intravenous drug user: unsuspected broken needle-tips pose a risk to the treating personnel.

Mycotic false aneurysms due to local arterial injury from attempted intravenous injections in drug addicts are increasing in frequency. The high incidence of HIV and hepatitis B virus in parenteral drug users may present a considerable risk to the treating personnel. This paper reports the unsuspected presence of broken needle-tips in the subcutaneous tissues of an intravenous drug abuser, in association with bilateral mycotic aneurysms of the axillary arteries.

Infectivity of bovine leukaemia virus infected cattle: an ELISA for detecting antigens expressed in in vitro cultured lymphocytes.

A simple ELISA is described for quantifying expression of bovine leukaemia virus (BLV) antigens in short-term cultures of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) isolated from infected cattle. The PBL-ELISA demonstrated that antigen expression levels in infected cattle could vary by more than 50-fold. Inoculation of sheep with dilutions of lymphocytes from two BLV-infected cattle, differentiated in the PBL-ELISA by 50 to 100-fold, suggested that antigen expression levels were correlated with infectivity.

A comparative study of fabric protection against ultraviolet-induced erythema determined by spectrophotometric and human skin measurements.

Historically, a textile's ability to protect against ultraviolet radiation (UVR)-induced erythema has been based on its UVR transmission. However, due to the nonuniformity of the fabric structure of a textile and its resultant nonuniform transmission, the above prediction may not hold. The fabric protection factors (FPF) of 5 metal meshes, to simulate the weave pattern and yarn dimensions of typical fabrics, and 6 textiles with variable construction (woven and knitted), fibre type and dye were determined using a spectrophotometric assay and human skin testing.

Combined percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and extraanatomic bypass for symptomatic unilateral iliac artery occlusion with contralateral iliac artery stenosis.

We have reviewed our experience with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty of contralateral iliac stenosis and extraanatomic bypass of the occluded iliac artery. Twenty-two men and nine women with a mean age of 65 years (range 46 to 84) presented with symptomatic iliac occlusive disease. Twenty-four (77%) had disabling claudication, four (13%) rest pain, and three (10%) ischemic tissue loss.

Laser angioplasty of the iliac arteries.

Laser-assisted balloon angioplasty has the potential to reduce mortality and morbidity by replacing aorto-femoral bypass operations in patients with occlusion of the iliac arteries. We present our early experience with 16 patients undergoing this procedure, using a Cardiolase neodymium:yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser in the operating room. Initial recanalization was achieved in 14 of the 16 patients.

Bench repair of complex renal arterial lesions.

Between 1968 and 1989, 160 patients underwent aortorenal bypass for renovascular hypertension. During the same interval, 13 patients had ex-vivo bench repair of complex renal arterial pathology. There were eight men and five women, with a mean age of 36 years.

Does division of the left renal vein during aortic surgery adversely affect renal function?

Between July 1980 and July 1988, 478 consecutive patients underwent aortic aneurysm operations at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. Renal function was assessed by measurement of serum creatinine levels. The left renal vein was divided in 28 (8%) of the 355 patients undergoing elective aneurysm resection.

Proteins of bovine ephemeral fever virus.

The proteins of bovine ephemeral fever virus (BEFV) were examined in purified virions and in infected BHK-21 cells. Five structural proteins were named L (180K), G (81K), N (52K), M1 (43K) and M2 (29K). The 81K G protein incorporated [3H]glucosamine, was removed from virions by treatment with Triton X-100 and bound monoclonal antibodies which were both neutralizing and protective.

Mapping of antigenic sites on the bovine ephemeral fever virus glycoprotein using monoclonal antibodies.

Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) were produced against the G, M2 and N proteins of bovine ephemeral fever virus (BEFV) and 29 were selected for further study. Thirteen neutralizing MAbs were assigned to one conformation-independent and at least two conformation-dependent antigenic sites on the G protein by a competitive binding ELISA. The panel of MAbs were tested by neutralization and immunofluorescence with three strains of BEFV and three BEFV-related viruses.

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detection of bovine leukaemia virus p24 antibody in cattle.

An ELISA for detecting antibody to the bovine leukaemia virus (BLV) core protein p24 is described. The test uses p24 antigen purified from concentrated cell culture supernate by lectin-affinity chromatography and gel filtration. The sensitivity and specificity of the p24-ELISA for diagnosing BLV infection relative to the gp51 agar gel immunodiffusion test, were 98.

Urban trauma: an analysis of 1,116 paediatric cases.

Over a 2-year period 1,116 children admitted to an urban teaching hospital were studied prospectively. The overall group was analysed as to the nature of the injury and a subgroup of seriously injured children was identified and further analysed. All deaths were examined as to their cause and possible preventable as well as salvageable factors.

Detection of reassortant orbiviruses (Wallal serogroup) in a prototype strain isolated from a pool of biting midges (Culicoides dycei).

Genetic variation between clones selected from early passage pools of Wallal virus (Reoviridae, Orbivirus) was investigated. The virus had been isolated in 1970 from a pool of 100 insects (Culicoides dycei), caught in the wild, by laboratory passage in suckling mice. Gel electrophoresis and oligonucleotide fingerprint analysis of clones indicated that multiple reassortant genotypes were present in early passages of the original isolate.