[Effect of estriol treatment per vaginam before Burch culposuspension].

Background: To assess the effect of estriol treatment per vaginam before Burch culposuspension in postmenopausal women with stress urinary incontinence (IUS).

Design: prospective randomised study.

Setting: Department of Gynaecology, Obstetrics and Physiopathology of Human Reproduction-Medical School-University of Naples Federico II .

An epidemiological study of falls on integrated general medical wards.

Reducing falls in hospital requires an environmental as well as a patient-orientated approach. We studied patient and ward characteristics relating to falls in an acute setting. In a prospective open observational study, we examined fall characteristics in two nuclear designed wards (A and B) and a longitudinal ward (C).

What influences outcome of stroke--pyrexia or dysphagia?

To investigate the significance of pyrexia and dysphagia as risk factors for mortality at 90 days in patients admitted with an acute stroke when controlled with other confounding factors, 202 stroke patients admitted to acute medical wards were prospectively studied for demographic and neurological details, stroke syndromes and pathology. A number of other factors were recorded within three days of admission, including pyrexia and dysphagia. Cox's proportional hazards model was used to identify the effect of 10 factors on mortality at 90 days; 59 (29%) patients had died by 90 days.

Identifying priority patients for coronary angiography.

We conducted an open observational study with blinded endpoint evaluation to validate the use of the Duke treadmill score in identifying patients likely to require coronary intervention. We studied 101 consecutive patients referred for coronary angiography from a cardiology clinic. All patients had a Bruce protocol exercise test.

Prognostic value of CT scan features in acute ischaemic stroke and relationship with clinical stroke syndromes.

The aim of this prospective study was to investigate the value of CT scan in prognosis of acute ischaemic stroke patients as a variable additional to clinical stroke syndromes to develop a simple classification of CT scan features to provide a practical approach to prognosticate and manage such patients. One hundred and eight nine patients admitted with ischaemic stroke were investigated with a CT scan. CT scan features were classified into two groups: large infarct, LI (across more than one lobe) and non-large infarcts (N-LI) for all other features.

The role of attitudes, intentions and habit in predicting actual consumption of fat containing foods in Italy.

Objective: To explore which were the most important predictors of the actual consumption of foods containing fat and to test if there were different profiles of beliefs and attitudes.

Design: A total of 1200 households participated in a food consumption survey for 7 days. A questionnaire, containing questions on belief, attitude and intention items based on Ajzen and Fishbein's model, was completed on the first day of the survey.

Cardiovascular disease and outcome of acute stroke: influence of pre-existing cardiac failure.

Background And Aims: Whilst a number of variables, mostly a consequence of a stroke, are known to predict mortality of acute stroke there is limited information on the significance of pre-existing cardiovascular variables on stroke mortality. We have investigated the influence of pre-existing cardiovascular factors in one cohort of stroke patients.

Methods: We studied 295 patients, mean age 74+/-10 (range 34-96) years; 133 males, presenting with acute stroke for pre-existing cardiovascular disease (CVD) defined as hypertension, atrial fibrillation (AF), ischaemic heart disease (IHD) and cardiac failure (CF).

Falls on integrated medical wards.

Background: An effective approach to fall prevention should involve an assessment of environmental as well as patient-related characteristics.

Objective: To study the effect of age and ward design on fall characteristics among medical inpatients.

Methods: In a prospective open observational study over 1 year, we studied falls on three medical wards.

Strokes in the elderly - higher acute and 3-month mortality - an explanation.

Aim: Stroke is common in older people. The objective of the study was to determine if older stroke patients have a higher mortality and disability compared with younger patients for comparable stroke severity and pathology and whether there is an explanation for the difference.

Methods: A prospective study was undertaken in 296 consecutive patients admitted with acute stroke.

Incidence and prognostic implications of falls associated with acute medical illness: a medical inpatient study.

Falls are associated with a wide range of acute medical illness across all ages. They have prognostic implications, and screening for falls on admission can help identify those patients who are likely to have an adverse hospital outcome and may benefit from more intense levels of care.

Distinct subdomains of human TAFII130 are required for interactions with glutamine-rich transcriptional activators.

TFIID is a multiprotein complex consisting of the TATA box binding protein and multiple tightly associated proteins (TAFIIs) that are required for transcription by selected activators. We previously reported cloning and partial characterization of human TAFII130 (hTAFII130). The central domain of hTAFII130 contains four glutamine-rich regions, designated Q1 to Q4, that are involved in interactions with the transcriptional activator Sp1.

[Lyme borreliosis, emergent disease linked with the environment].

After a short historical presentation of the discovery of the pathogen and its vector, the authors present the current data on bacterial and acarologic taxonomy. Then they describe their results to assess the mechanisms of circulation of the bacteria in the forests of Ile-de-France, particularly in the forest of Rambouillet. The combined study of abundance and infection frequency of the vectors, small mammals and cervids leads to the characterization of periods and areas of higher risk.

A study of autonomic cardiovascular reflexes in elderly patients with pneumonia.

People recovering from pneumonia are often weak for no apparent reason. Clinical features such as postural hypotension, arrhythmia and syndrome of inappropriate ADH have, in other circumstances, been attributed to impaired autonomic function. The aim of this study was to see whether elderly patients with pneumonia had impaired autonomic cardiovascular reflexes and, if so, how long this persisted.

Regression of cardiac involvement by malignant melanoma following lomustine chemotherapy.

Cardiac involvement by malignant melanoma is usually a premorbid event. We present a case of presumed cardiac involvement by malignant melanoma with regression following chemotherapy as demonstrated by transoesophageal echocardiography.

Age-related variations in presentation and outcome in Wegener's granulomatosis.

Wegener's granulomatosis (WG) is increasingly being diagnosed in older people. The object of this study was to see whether age influences the clinical presentation and prognosis. In a retrospective open case-note review of 51 patients with a diagnosis of WG based on internationally accepted criteria, 29 patients (56.

A case of relapsing psittacosis associated with a stroke.

Psittacosis, caused by Chlamydia psittaci, is mainly associated with an atypical pneumonia. We report a case of psittacosis where onset of respiratory symptoms was soon followed by the onset of focal neurological signs, a very uncommon feature. Despite adequate treatment with erythromycin, the patient relapsed when re-exposed to a sick pet bird.

Molecular cloning and analysis of two subunits of the human TFIID complex: hTAFII130 and hTAFII100.

Transcription factor TFIID is a multiprotein complex composed of the TATA box-binding protein (TBP) and multiple TBP-associated factors (TAFs). TFIID plays an essential role in mediating transcriptional activation by gene-specific activators. Numerous transcriptional activators have been characterized from mammalian cells; however, molecular analysis of the components of mammalian TFIID has been incomplete.

Annual influenza vaccination: immune response in patients over 10 years.

Objective: To determine the effect of repeated annual influenza immunization on the host's serum antibody.

Design: Ten year observational study with cohort design.

Setting: Cystic Fibrosis Center at St.

A large transmural thoracic lipoma easily mistaken for pulmonary malignancy.

Lipomas in the thorax are very rare. Most such lesions are asymptomatic and discovered by accident on a chest radiograph. However, radiographic features are non-specific and can mimic malignancy.