High prevalence of Epstein-Barr virus in the Reed-Sternberg cells of HIV-associated Hodgkin's disease.

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of Hodgkin's disease, with an frequency of 15 to 50% in the immunocompetent host. We studied 12 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded cases of Hodgkin's disease occurring in human immunodeficiency virus-infected individuals to determine the frequency of EBV in Hodgkin's disease from this population. EBV DNA-RNA in situ hybridization was performed using a 30-base biotinylated anti-sense oligonucleotide complementary to the EBER1 gene of EBV.

Indications and technique for the use of the porto-renal shunt in the treatment of variceal hemorrhage.

Although hepatic replacement has emerged as the most definitive treatment for patients with chronic liver disease with variceal hemorrhage, a significant number of patients remain better served by porto-systemic shunting. Historically, for those patients with coexisting ascites requiring side-to-side shunting, synthetic or autogenous graft material has been interposed between the portal vein and inferior vena cava when the two veins could not be brought into direct apposition. The porto-renal shunt, described in 1964 but rarely used, allows shunt construction without the use of synthetic materials.

Isolation and identification of xochitloldione and isoxochitlolone from Cnidosculus urens.

Major components of MeOH extracts from the plant roots of Cnidosculus urens purified by cc and tlc and crystallization were lupeol acetate and the previously unreported compounds isoxochitlolone [1] and xochitloldione [2], which were identified through mass, ir, nmr, and uv spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. In preliminary testing, isoxochitlolone has been found to be active against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus.

Evidence for molecular subtypes of HIV-associated lymphoma: division into peripheral monoclonal, polyclonal and central nervous system lymphoma.

The pathogenesis of the HIV-associated lymphomas is not well understood. In order to begin characterizing this class of lymphoma, we initiated a molecular genetic study of DNA extracted from 31 diagnostic biopsy specimens from patients diagnosed with AIDS-associated non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Analysis of 25 peripheral lymphomas showed that 14 were monoclonal B-cell processes, while 11 appeared to be of polyclonal origin.

Serologic and DNA follow-up data from HBsAg-positive patients treated with orthotopic liver transplantation.

Fifteen hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive patients treated with orthotopic liver transplantation were studied to determine whether any clinical, serologic, or histologic data were predictive for recurrent hepatitis B infection leading to graft failure. Six patients died early, one due to primary graft nonfunction and the remaining five due to septic complications. There were nine patients surviving longer than two months, eight of whom are alive at a mean follow-up of 556 days.

Surgical management of nonparasitic cystic liver disease.

We report clinical features, surgical management, recurrences, and follow-up study of 12 patients with simple hepatic cyst, 11 patients with polycystic liver disease, and 19 patients with cystadenoma who were surgically treated over a 25-year period. The median age of patients was 48 years, and 37 women and 5 men were in the series. The most common presenting symptom and physical finding were chronic abdominal pain and tenderness in the right upper quadrant.

[Isolation of transcription promoters from Thiobacillus ferrooxidans and T. acidophilus and its introduction by conjugation to T. intermedius].

The chemolithotrophic acidophilic bacteria, Thiobacillus ferrooxidans is considered as the most important microorganism in relation to copper and uranium bioleaching ability. Since T. ferrooxidans is a strict chemolithotrophic microorganism, its genetic manipulation is a very hard task.

[Acute promyelocytic leukemia in the west of Venezuela].

Twenty-nine cases of acute promyelocytic leukaemia of children and adults are reported. This figure represents 13.61% of all the acute leukaemias and 27.

The yeast tRNA(Phe) gene family: structures and transcriptional activities reveal member differences not explained by intragenic promoters.

Several cloned members of the yeast tRNA(Phe) gene family were transcribed in vitro using a HeLa extract and a yeast extract. The optimum DNA concentration was determined and kinetic experiments were performed for each clone to compare transcription levels. Both extract systems were able to splice the intervening sequence, but only the yeast extract produced the mature product.

Valve replacement in children.

The performance of the St. Jude prosthetic valve is reviewed in 81 patients aged 3 to 15 years. All 66 mitral (2 re-replacements), 8 aortic and 9 double valve replacements between February 1979 and August 1984 are included.

Pulmonary artery banding.

Between January 1981 and December 1983 22 children underwent pulmonary artery banding at the Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, Cape Town. The indications for banding in this group were control of pulmonary overperfusion and severe congestive cardiac failure. The underlying cardiac defects were tricuspid atresia with ventricular septal defect (VSD), transposition of the great arteries and univentricular heart, large or multiple VSDs, double-outlet right ventricle, atrioventricular canal defect, persistent truncus arteriosus and the VSD-patent ductus arteriosus-coarctation syndrome.

Blalock-Taussig shunts and modified Blalock-Taussig shunts.

Between January 1981 and December 1983, 53 systemic-to-pulmonary artery shunts, Blalock-Taussig shunts (BTSs) and modified Blalock-Taussig shunts (MBTSs) were carried out either as a preliminary procedure before complete correction of heart defects or as a means of permanent palliation. Central shunts continue to pose early and late problems and we seldom use them. Fifteen patients underwent a BTS and 38 an MBTS with a 5 mm polytetrafluoro-ethylene (PTFE) graft.

Surgical management of congenital heart disease. A review of 7 years' experience.

This is a review of the results of surgical treatment of congenital heart disease in children aged less than 12 years over the period 1975 - 1981 (1254 cases). The patients are divided into two groups, those treated between 1975 and 1979 (903 cases) and those treated in 1980 and 1981 (351 cases). Only 19,7% of the patients in the first group were under the age of 1 year, but 26,5% in the second group were in this age group.

The significance of femoral pulses in coarctation of the aorta.

Between January 1974 and December 1981, 80 patients aged between 1 and 13 years underwent surgical correction of coarctation of the aorta. At pre-operative examination 45 patients had absent femoral pulses (group A) and 35 had palpable femoral pulses (group B). Nineteen patients were lost to late follow-up; the remaining 61 (76%) were followed up for between 3 months and 7 years.

The surgical treatment of tetralogy of Fallot.

This is a review of the last 307 patients with tetralogy of Fallot who were operated on in our unit at Groote Schuur Hospital and Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital. Complete repair was undertaken in 301 patients, and shunts were performed in 6 children. There were 17 hospital deaths and 1 late death.

Valve replacement in patients over 70 years of age.

Between 1 August 1975 and 31 October 1982, 76 patients aged between 70 and 82 years (mean 73,4 years) underwent elective (71) or emergency (5) valve replacements. Fifty patients underwent aortic valve replacement (including 5 with additional coronary artery bypass grafts), 19 mitral valve replacement including 3 with coronary artery bypass grafts, and 7 double valve replacements. There were 3 early deaths (3,9%) and 9 late deaths (11,8%) during the follow-up periods of 1 month - 86 months (mean 29 months).

Coarctation of the aorta in infants under 1 year of age.

Untreated coarctation of the aorta in infants is associated with a high mortality, reaching up to 90%. During a period of 7 years 26 infants underwent surgical repair of this condition, the youngest being 6 days old and the oldest 11 months. Two underwent emergency surgery after catheterization, while the rest had an elective or semi-elective operation.

A pseudo-tumour of the mandible in a haemophiliac patient. A case report.

The presence of a rare pseudo-tumour of the mandible in a haemophiliac justifies the presentation of this case in which the history and the clinical and radiological examinations were sufficient for a presumptive diagnosis. The authors present a case of pseudo-tumour of the mandible in a boy, with a history of haemophilia following a traumatic injury. They comment on the clinical and radiological aspects and surgical technique employed.

Tricuspid atresia corrected by the Fontan method.

The Fontan procedure was applied to correct 13 cases of tricuspid atresia, all with concordant arterial connections. Seven of the patients had had a total of ten previous operations to create palliative shunts. There were 3 early deaths, all due to low cardiac output states, but no late deaths.