How to prevent overlooking cervical spine injuries: pitfalls in spinal diagnostics.

Many patients with a cervical spine injury do not show clinical signs of the injury. Therefore, cervical spine trauma may not be recognized, especially in unconscious and multiply injured patients. Due to proximity to the spinal cord, neurological deficits inclusive of complete tetraplegia are possible.

Heterologous priming-boosting with DNA and modified vaccinia virus Ankara expressing tryparedoxin peroxidase promotes long-term memory against Leishmania major in susceptible BALB/c Mice.

Leishmaniasis affects 12 million people, but there are no vaccines in routine clinical use. Th1 polarizing vaccines that elicit long-term protection are required to prevent disease in susceptible populations. We recently showed that heterologous priming-boosting with tryparedoxin peroxidase (TRYP) DNA followed by TRYP-modified vaccinia virus Ankara (TRYP MVA) protected susceptible BALB/c mice from Leishmania major.

Lordoplasty: report on early results with a new technique for the treatment of vertebral compression fractures to restore the lordosis.

Cement augmentation using PMMA cement is known as an efficient treatment for osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures with a rapid release of pain in most patients and prevention of an ongoing kyphotic deformity of the vertebrae treated. However, after a vertebroplasty there is no chance to restore vertebral height. Using the technique of kyphoplasty a certain restoration of vertebral body height can be achieved.

Anterior vertebral body replacement with a titanium implant of adjustable height: a prospective clinical study.

In the operative treatment of spinal injuries, the reconstruction of the anterior column of the thoracolumbar spine is still controversial. We conducted a prospective clinical study to investigate the clinical and radiological outcome of 50 patients treated with a vertebral body replacement of adjustable height (Synex). Fifty consecutive patients were evaluated during in-patient treatment and at 12 and 20 months post-operatively in clinical notes and radiographs.

From genome to vaccines for leishmaniasis: screening 100 novel vaccine candidates against murine Leishmania major infection.

The genomic sequence of Leishmania major provides a rich source of vaccine candidates. One hundred randomly selected amastigote-expressed genes were screened as DNA vaccines, and efficacy determined following high-dose L. major footpad challenge in BALB/c mice.

[Vertebral body replacement with Synex in combined posteroanterior surgery for treatment of thoracolumbar injuries].

Objective: Reduction and stabilization of unstable spinal injuries with reconstruction of the anterior column resulting in a permanent restitution of the physiologic spinal alignment, stability and load-bearing capacity.

Indications: Unstable injuries and lesions of the spine from T4 to L5 resulting in a reduced load-bearing capacity of the anterior spinal column caused by vertebral fractures and injury of the intervertebral disks, posttraumatic kyphotic deformities, pathologic fractures, tumors. Relative indications: younger patients with monosegmental injuries; patients with severe osteoporosis.

IL-10 from regulatory T cells determines vaccine efficacy in murine Leishmania major infection.

Leishmaniasis affects 12 million people, but there are no vaccines. Immunological correlates of vaccine efficacy are unclear. Polarized Th1 vs Th2 responses in Leishmania major-infected mice suggested that a shift in balance from IL-4 to IFN-gamma was the key to vaccine success.

DNA-Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium primer-booster vaccination biases towards T helper 1 responses and enhances protection against Leishmania major infection in mice.

Successful resolution of infections by intracellular pathogens requires gamma interferon (IFN-gamma). DNA vaccines promote T helper 1 (Th1) responses by triggering interleukin-12 (IL-12) release by dendritic cells (DC) through Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9). In humans TLR9 is restricted to plasmacytoid DC.

Prospective multicenter study with a new implant for thoracolumbar vertebral body replacement.

Background: There are several therapeutic strategies for restoring the anterior column of the vertebral body after trauma, tumor and infection. We present a multicenter study with a new distractable titanium implant for vertebral body replacement.

Methods: Prospective documentation was collected of the first 126 patients treated with Synex during the 1st year of the clinical course.

[Effect of short-distance spondylodesis of the thoracolumbar transition on neighboring facet joints. A biomechanical study].

This study was performed to investigate the range of motion and the forces on the facet joints that are neighboured to spondylodesis on thoracolumbar spine. We used a special spine testing device for a continuous application of pure moments in each direction. For measuring the ranges of motion we used a magnetic tracking device for measuring forces on facet joints we chose a direct measuring system of quartz crystal and prepared for investigation of the spine.

From genomes to vaccines: Leishmania as a model.

The 35 Mb genome of Leishmania should be sequenced by late 2002. It contains approximately 8500 genes that will probably translate into more than 10 000 proteins. In the laboratory we have been piloting strategies to try to harness the power of the genome-proteome for rapid screening of new vaccine candidate.