Intraoperative and postoperative effects of vancomycin administration in cardiac surgery patients: a prospective, double-blind, randomized trial.

Objectives: In response to an increased frequency of Staphylococcus epidermidis infections in postoperative cardiac surgery patients, antibiotic prophylaxis was changed to include both vancomycin and cefazolin pre- and intraoperatively. Subsequent to the addition of vancomycin prophylaxis, clinical impression and retrospective analysis supported a correlation between vancomycin administration and post-cardiopulmonary bypass norepinephrine use.

Design: A prospective, double-blind, randomized study.

Case report: calcification in benign cystic peritoneal mesothelioma.

Benign cystic mesothelioma of the peritoneum is a rare multicystic tumour that occurs predominantly in middle aged women with strong predilection for the surface of the pelvic viscera. Our patient was a 79-year-old woman who presented with weight loss and left upper abdominal mass showing calcification on CT. This is the first reported case of benign cystic mesothelioma with calcification.

Audit of inhaled asthma therapy.

The problems patients experience with inhaled asthma therapies are well documented. In an attempt to overcome these, the British Thoracic Society investigated the expansion of the respiratory nurse specialist's role to cover some of the more problematic areas of deficiency. In preparation for this expansion, the authors carried out an audit on 100 adults attending an asthma clinic.

A cytogenetic analysis of chromosomal region 31 of Drosophila melanogaster.

Cytogenetic region 31 of the second chromosome of Drosophila melanogaster was screened for recessive lethal mutations. One hundred and thirty nine new recessive lethal alleles were isolated that fail to complement Df(2L)J2 (31A-32A). These new alleles, combined with preexisting mutations in the region, define 52 complementation groups, 35 of which have not previously been described.

The academic medical centre: an idea whose time has come.

Interdependence of faculties of medicine or health sciences and teaching hospitals is central to the academic medical centre's three "products": education, research and clinical service. Whether a voluntary association, partnership, joint venture or single entity, the strength of the association of member institutions must lie in mutual dependency. With the potential of reducing costs and increasing effectiveness through administrative efficiency and rationalization, especially of planning and setting priorities, the academic medical centre can outstrip its individual member institutions in contributing to the solution of Canada's present and future challenges in health care.

Prehospital cardiac arrest survival and neurologic recovery.

Many studies of prehospital defibrillation have been conducted but the effects of airway intervention are unknown and neurologic follow-up has been incomplete. A non-randomized cohort prospective study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of defibrillation in prehospital cardiac arrest. Two ambulance companies in the study area developed a defibrillation protocol and they formed the experimental group.

Effect of calcitonin on the alcohol drinking of rats.

Previous work has shown that calcitonin inhibits eating by rats and that it affects several neurotransmitter systems suspected to play a role in alcohol consumption. The present study was an initial test of whether calcitonin does affect voluntary alcohol consumption by male Wistar rats with prolonged alcohol experience. Calcitonin (20 IU/kg) or saline was injected subcutaneously on 10 consecutive days when the rats (n = 20) had continual access to 10% (v/v) ethanol solution, and to food and water.

Newborn screening for sickle cell and other hemoglobinopathies: a Canadian pilot study.

We estimated incidence of HbS disease in Quebec. It is approximately 9 cases per 100,000 births (equivalent to the incidence of the hyperphenylalanemias). Accordingly, we performed a voluntary pilot study in 9 self-identified ethnic groups; 3528 families were counselled about the relevance of newborn screening for hemoglobinopathies; and 2779 cord blood samples were collected (participation rate, 78.

Fatal mediastinal compression as a late complication of surgical plombage.

Surgical plombage was used as a form of collapse therapy for pulmonary tuberculosis before the advent of reliable chemotherapy. A patient developed stridor, recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis, and obstruction of the superior vena cava and eventually died as a result of haemorrhage into a large intrathoracic cyst, secondary to a polystan pack inserted 38 years previously.

Genetic analysis of the additional sex combs locus of Drosophila melanogaster.

Additional sex combs (Asx) is a member of the Polycomb group of genes, which are thought to be required for maintenance of chromatin structure. To better understand the function of Asx, we have isolated nine new alleles, each of which acts like a gain of function mutation. Asx is required for normal determination of segment identity.

Leptospirosis--a cause for concern?

A severe case of Weil's disease is presented. The particular relevance of this condition to the Armed Forces and Service physicians is discussed, together with methods of diagnosis.

A cytogenetic and genetic characterization of a group of closely linked second chromosome mutations that suppress position-effect variegation in Drosophila melanogaster.

Characterization of a group of dominant second chromosome suppressor of position-effect variegation (PEV) (Su(var)) mutants has revealed a variety of interesting properties, including: maternal-effect suppression of PEV, homozygous lethality or semilethality and male-specific hemizygous lethality, female infecundity, acute sensitivity to the amount of heterochromatin in the cell and sensitivity to sodium butyrate. Deficiency/duplication mapping and complementation tests have revealed that eight of the mutants define at least two genes in section 31 of the left arm of chromosome 2 and they suggest that a ninth corresponds to an additional nonessential Su(var) gene within or near this region. The effects of specific deficiencies and a duplication on PEV indicate that the expression of one or more of the Su(var) genes in this region of the chromosome is dose-dependent, i.