Dermal absorption of benzene: implications for work practices and regulations.

Because the risk of leukemia for workers exposed to 1 ppm of benzene for 40 years is estimated to be 70% greater than the risk for unexposed persons, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) recommend that the allowable airborne exposure level be 0.1 ppm. Using an experimentally determined dermal flux (permeability) value for benzene through skin, the authors calculated the amount of benzene absorbed through a known surface area (e.

An analysis of the morbidity and mortality of short-bowel syndrome in the pediatric age group.

Twenty-two children with short-bowel syndrome (SBS) were treated at the C. S. Mott Children's Hospital in the University of Michigan Medical Center between June 1983 and May 1993.

Specialty networking in pediatric surgery: a paradigm for the future of academic surgery.

Objective: To review retrospectively a 4-year experience with pediatric surgical networking at a major academic medical center in the Midwest.

Background: The growth of managed care in the United States during the past decade has had a major impact on the practice of medicine in general, but especially on academic medicine. In some academic medical centers, the loss of market share has not only affected clinical activity but has also compromised the educational and research missions of these institutions.

Prenatal diagnosis of congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation and its postnatal presentation, surgical indications, and natural history.

Background/purpose: Regression of a cystic adenomatoid malformation (CAM) in a fetus is well described. Little, however, is known about the postnatal course of these infants. This study attempts to correlate the prenatal course of CAMs with postnatal symptoms, radiological manifestations, and need for surgery.

The toxicology of 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP): a brief review.

The accumulating data demonstrating the reproductive toxicity of 1, 2-dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP) are reviewed. The sentinel event was the discovery of infertility in male pesticide manufacturing workers. In spite of early evidence of testicular damage, first in laboratory animals and later in humans, DBCP has been widely used as a nematocide in the United States and is still used in other countries.

Binding of random copolymers of three amino acids to class II MHC molecules.

Copolymer 1 [Cop 1, poly(Y,E,A,K)] is a random synthetic amino acid copolymer of L-tyrosine, L-glutamic acid, L-alanine and L-lysine, effective both in suppression of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis and in the treatment of relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis. Cop 1 binds promiscuously and very efficiently to purified human HLA-DR molecules within the peptide-binding groove. In the present study the binding of copolymers composed of three of the four amino acids found in poly(Y,E,A,K) to purified class II MHC molecules was examined.

Immunomodulation of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis by oral administration of copolymer 1.

The activity of copolymer 1 (Cop 1, Copaxone, glatiramer acetate) in suppressing experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) and in the treatment of multiple sclerosis patients when injected parenterally has been extensively demonstrated. In the present study we addressed the question of whether Cop 1 can induce oral tolerance to EAE similar to myelin basic protein (MBP). We now have demonstrated that oral Cop 1 inhibited EAE induction in both rats and mice.

Copolymer 1 acts against the immunodominant epitope 82-100 of myelin basic protein by T cell receptor antagonism in addition to major histocompatibility complex blocking.

The synthetic random amino acid copolymer Copolymer 1 (Cop 1, Copaxone, glatiramer acetate) suppresses experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, slows the progression of disability, and reduces relapse rate in multiple sclerosis (MS). Cop 1 binds to various class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules and inhibits the T cell responses to several myelin antigens. In this study we attempted to find out whether, in addition to MHC blocking, Cop 1, which is immunologically cross-reactive with myelin basic protein (MBP), inhibits the response to this autoantigen by T cell receptor (TCR) antagonism.

Bystander suppression of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis by T cell lines and clones of the Th2 type induced by copolymer 1.

The synthetic amino acid copolymer, copolymer 1 (Cop 1) induces T suppressor (Ts) lines/clones, which are confined to the Th2 pathway, cross react with myelin basic protein (MBP), but not with other myelin antigens on the level of Th2 cytokine secretion. Nevertheless, Cop 1 Ts cells inhibited the IL-2 response of a proteolipid protein (PLP) specific line. Furthermore, Cop 1 Ts cells ameliorated EAE induced by two unrelated encephalitogenic epitopes of PLP: p139-151 and p178-191, that produced different forms of disease.

Alteration of the intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes during total parenteral nutrition.

Total parenteral nutrition (TPN) may cause increased rates of bacterial translocation (BT), possibly due to a loss of epithelial integrity. Cultured epithelial cells have been shown to lose tight junction integrity with interferon gamma (INF-gamma) an action which may be blocked by transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta). Because intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL) are a rich source of these cytokines in the epithelium, we hypothesized that changes in the IEL, while mice were receiving TPN, may be responsible for the mediation of such cytokine responses.

Enterocolitis.

Enterocolitis continues to be the major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with Hirschsprung's disease. The exact etiology of Hirschsprung's-associated enterocolitis is not known. This review focuses on the clinical aspects, etiology, and therapy of Hirschsprung's-associated enterocolitis.

The lateral approach for open splenectomy.

Background: Laparoscopic splenectomy (LS) has been used increasingly to treat children with hematologic disorders and has been reported to have advantages over open splenectomy performed through a standard vertical or subcostal incision. The authors perform open splenectomy (OS) through a lateral, muscle-splitting approach, and believe their approach is more reasonable in comparison with LS.

Methods: Thirty-nine consecutive open splenectomies performed between 1991 and 1995 were reviewed retrospectively and compared with recent reports of LS.

Latex sensitization in general pediatric surgical patients: a call for increased screening of patients.

Background/purpose: Latex sensitization is a well-documented occurrence in children with myelodysplastic and urologic anomalies. The incidence of latex allergy in general pediatric surgical patients, however, has not been previously addressed. The purpose of this study was to examine the risk of perioperative latex reactions in a general pediatric surgical practice over a 1-year period.

Split notochord syndrome with prolapsed congenital colostomy.

A case of split notochord syndrome associated with a prolapsed colostomylike dorsal enteric opening, a foreshortened colon, imperforate anus, and meningocele is presented. The surgical management of this disorder is discussed and available literature is reviewed. The patient was successfully treated with a combined, single-stage surgical correction.

Intestinal permeability to small- and large-molecular-weight substances in the newborn rabbit.

Background/purpose: The authors have previously reported the occurrence of spontaneous bacterial translocation (BT) and its resolution with age in the newborn rabbit. They have also reported a close correlation between small bowel bacterial colonization (BC-SB) and BT at 1 week of age, suggesting that the presence of luminal bacteria and their production of endotoxins may increase the intestinal permeability. The aim of this study was to evaluate intestinal permeability to small and large molecules in the newborn rabbit and to correlate it with BT.