Safety and efficacy of a pharmaco-invasive reperfusion strategy in rural ST-elevation myocardial infarction patients with expected delays due to long-distance transfers.

Aims: To determine the safety and efficacy of a pharmaco-invasive reperfusion strategy utilizing half-dose fibrinolysis combined with transfer for immediate percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients presenting to remote rural hospitals. Primary PCI is preferred for STEMI if performed in a timely manner. However, <20% of STEMI patients transferred for PCI in the USA have door-to-balloon times <2 h.

Progression of mild cognitive impairment to dementia: contribution of cerebrovascular disease compared with medial temporal lobe atrophy.

Background And Purpose: We sought to determine the predictive value of magnetic resonance imaging measures of vascular disease (white matter hyperintensities [WMHs], lacunes, microbleeds, and infarcts) compared with atrophy on the progression of mild cognitive impairment to dementia.

Methods: We included 152 consecutive patients with mild cognitive impairment. Baseline magnetic resonance imaging was used to determine the presence of medial temporal lobe atrophy and vascular disease (presence of lacunes, microbleeds, and infarcts was determined, and WMHs were rated on a semiquantitative scale).

The initial United States experience with the ATS mechanical cardiac valve prosthesis.

From January 1, 1997 through June 30, 2000, 224 patients underwent valve replacement with the ATS Medical cardiac valve prosthesis under a USFDA-approved investigational device exemption study. Aortic valve replacement (AVR) was conducted in 152 patients (39 with coronary bypass) and mitral replacement (MVR) in 72 patients (18 with coronary bypass). Overall operative mortality was 1.

Left Ventricular Thrombus.

Left ventricular thrombus (LVT) is a frequent complication in patients with acute anterior myocardial infarction (MI) and in those with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). The clinical importance of LVT lies in its potential to embolize. The current treatment of patients with acute MI centers on reperfusion, and although controversial, the incidence of LVT complicating acute anterior MI is probably reduced when compared with historical controls.

Degradation of ethinyl estradiol by nitrifying activated sludge.

Degradation of ethinyl estradiol (EE2) by nitrifying activated sludge was studied with micro-organisms grown in a reactor with feedback of sludge fed with only a mineral salts medium containing ammonium as the sole energy source. Ammonium was oxidised by this sludge at a rate of 50 mg NH4+ g(-1) DW h(-1). This activated sludge was also capable of degrading EE2 at a maximum rate of 1 microg g(-1) DW h(-1).

Human chorionic gonadotropin in commercial human menopausal gonadotropin preparations.

Several studies indicated the presence of an hCG-immunoreactive substance in commercial hMG preparations. Because hCG represents LH activity with a relatively very long half-life, differences between hMG preparations with respect to hCG content could imply clinical differences. To investigate whether there is any difference in this respect between the two most widely used hMG preparations, we measured the hCG content of ampules of Humegon and Pergonal retrieved from the market, together representing 51 separate production batches, with one or more different specific immunological assays.

NADPH:O2 oxidoreductase of human eosinophils in the cell-free system.

The NADPH oxidase of human eosinophils, measured in the cell-free system, shows the same characteristics as the enzyme from human neutrophils. All proteins required for activity of the enzyme are expressed in eosinophils at a higher level than in neutrophils. Eosinophils isolated from patients with chronic granulomatous disease show the same molecular defects as the neutrophils from these patients.

Assembly and activation of the NADPH:O2 oxidoreductase in human neutrophils after stimulation with phorbol myristate acetate.

Phagocytic leukocytes contain an activatable NADPH:O2 oxidoreductase. Components of this enzyme system include cytochrome b558, and three soluble oxidase components (SOC I, SOC II, and SOC III) found in the cytosol of resting cells. Previously, we found that SOC II copurifies with, and is probably identical to, a 47-kDa substrate of protein kinase C.