Radiofrequency ablation in an infant with recurrent supraventricular tachycardia and cyanosis.

We report an unusual presentation of supraventricular tachycardia, in an infant, with cyanosis. The child had atrial septal defect with hypoplastic right ventricle. Radiofrequency ablation was performed in view of drug resistant SVT.

The impact of risk stratification by early bone-marrow response in childhood lymphoblastic leukaemia: results from the United Kingdom Medical Research Council trial ALL97 and ALL97/99.

The 1997 acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) trial (ALL97) was a randomised comparison of prednisolone versus dexamethasone and of 6-mercaptopurine versus 6-thioguanine. During the first 2 years of the trial, review of survival data showed the preceding trial, UKALL XI, was no better than its predecessor and that survival for childhood ALL in the UK had not improved in the fashion witnessed by other cooperative treatment groups. The therapy template was therefore altered to an American Children's Cancer Group (CCG) style regimen, including stratification by age, white cell count and early response to therapy by assessment of the bone marrow.

Olfactory identification in young relatives at risk for schizophrenia.

Objective: Olfactory identification deficits (OIDs) are seen in schizophrenia, but it is unclear whether they are state- or trait-related.

Methods: We examined the prevalence of OIDs, as assessed by the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT), and their correlations with prodromal symptoms in young relatives at risk for schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder (HR-S).

Results: UPSIT scores were lower in HR- S than in healthy controls, but were non-significant after covarying the effects of age, gender and IQ.

Molecular Interactions between HIV-1 integrase and the two viral DNA ends within the synaptic complex that mediates concerted integration.

A macromolecular nucleoprotein complex in retrovirus-infected cells, termed the preintegration complex, is responsible for the concerted integration of linear viral DNA genome into host chromosomes. Isolation of sufficient quantities of the cytoplasmic preintegration complexes for biochemical and biophysical analysis is difficult. We investigated the architecture of HIV-1 nucleoprotein complexes involved in the concerted integration pathway in vitro.

Biochemical and biophysical analyses of concerted (U5/U3) integration.

Retrovirus integrase (IN) integrates the viral linear DNA genome ( approximately 10 kb) into a host chromosome, a step which is essential for viral replication. Integration occurs via a nucleoprotein complex, termed the preintegration complex (PIC). This article focuses on the reconstitution of synaptic complexes from purified components whose molecular properties mirror those of the PIC, including the efficient concerted integration of two ends of linear viral DNA into target DNA.

Study of superconducting state parameters of ternary metallic glasses through pseudopotential approach.

A theoretical investigation on the screening dependence of the superconducting state parameters (SSPs) viz. the electron-phonon coupling strength λ, the Coulomb pseudopotential μ∗, the transition temperature , the isotope effect exponent α and the effective interaction strength of some ternary metallic glasses such as TiBeZr, (MoRu)B, (MoRu)B, (MoRu)P, (MoRu)Si, (MoRu)B, (MoRu)Si, (MoRu)B, (MoRu)Si, (MoRu)Si, (MoRu)Si, (MoRu)Si and (MoRu)P is reported for the first time using Ashcroft's empty core (EMC) model potential. Five local field correction functions proposed by Hartree (H), Taylor (T), Ichimaru-Utsumi (IU), Farid (F) and Sarkar (S) are used in the present investigation to study the effect of screening on the aforesaid properties.

Mechanisms of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 concerted integration related to strand transfer inhibition and drug resistance.

The "strand transfer inhibitors" of human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) integrase (IN), so named because of their pronounced selectivity for inhibiting strand transfer over 3' OH processing, block virus replication in vivo and ex vivo and prevent concerted integration in vitro. We explored the kinetics of product formation and strand transfer inhibition within reconstituted synaptic complexes capable of concerted integration. Synaptic complexes were formed with viral DNA donors containing either two blunt ends, two 3'-OH-processed ends, or one of each.

Substantial archaeocortical atrophy and neuronal loss in multiple sclerosis.

Recent studies have revealed extensive neocortical pathology in multiple sclerosis (MS). The hippocampus is a unique archaeocortical structure understudied in MS. It plays a central role in episodic and anterograde memory-the most frequently impaired cognitive modalities in MS.

A population-based study of the outcome after small bowel atresia/stenosis in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, Australia, 1992-2003.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to describe the incidence, epidemiology, and survival of infants with small bowel atresia/stenosis in New South Wales (NSW) and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), Australia.

Methods: A population-based cohort study was conducted of infants diagnosed with small bowel atresia/stenosis in NSW and the ACT from 1992 to 2003. Data were obtained from the prospectively collated NSW and ACT Neonatal Intensive Care Units' data collection.

Variable levels of carry over on platelet counts < or = 20 x 10(9)/l with the Bayer Advia 120.

Accurate platelet counts are essential for the safe management of severe thrombocytopenia (platelet counts < or = 20 x 10(9)/l). The effect of carry over on platelet counting in severe thrombocytopenia was investigated by performing counts before and after saline rinses on three Bayer Advia 120 automated blood counters. Counts were performed in both primary and manual closed tube system modes on two instruments and in manual open tube mode on a third.

Inhibition of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 concerted integration by strand transfer inhibitors which recognize a transient structural intermediate.

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) integrase (IN) inserts the viral DNA genome into host chromosomes. Here, by native agarose gel electrophoresis, using recombinant IN with a blunt-ended viral DNA substrate, we identified the synaptic complex (SC), a transient early intermediate in the integration pathway. The SC consists of two donor ends juxtaposed by IN noncovalently.

The impact of a physical geographic barrier on the dynamics of measles.

Spatial-temporal patterns of measles incidence reflect the spatial distribution of human hosts. The heterogeneous spatial distribution of communities has been shown to introduce spatially dependent temporal lags in the timing of measles incidence. Incidence patterns reflect internal dynamics within a community and coupling of communities through the movement of infectious individuals.

A treatment protocol for infants younger than 1 year with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (Interfant-99): an observational study and a multicentre randomised trial.

Background: Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in infants younger than 1 year is rare, and infants with the disease have worse outcomes than do older children. We initiated an international study to investigate the effects of a new hybrid treatment protocol with elements designed to treat both acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and acute myeloid leukaemia, and to identify any prognostic factors for outcome in infants. We also did a randomised trial to establish the value of a late intensification course.

Thrombosis and acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

Venous thrombosis is more frequent in patients treated for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) than other malignancies and has distinctive causes, clinical features and remedies. The reported incidence varies from 1% to 36%, depending on the chemotherapy protocol and whether the reported cases are symptomatic or detected on screening radiography. The risk is thought to arise from increased thrombin generation at diagnosis combined with reduced thrombin inhibitory capacity due to depletion of circulating anti-thrombin (AT) by asparaginase.

Intra-abdominal splenosis following laparoscopic splenectomy causing recurrence in a child with chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura.

In this paper, we present the case of a 12-year-old boy with refractory, symptomatic immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) who underwent a laparoscopic splenectomy (LS). During morcellation of the spleen the retrieval bag ruptured. Thirteen (13) months postoperatively, the patient developed further symptoms and was found to be thrombocytopenic.

Remyelination can be extensive in multiple sclerosis despite a long disease course.

Experimental studies using models of multiple sclerosis (MS) indicate that rapid and extensive remyelination of inflammatory demyelinated lesions is not only possible, but is the normal situation. The presence of completely remyelinated MS lesions has been noted in numerous studies and routine limited sampling of post mortem MS material suggests that remyelination may be extensive in the early stages but eventually fails. However, visual macroscopic guided sampling tends to be biased towards chronic demyelinated lesions.

Meningeal B-cell follicles in secondary progressive multiple sclerosis associate with early onset of disease and severe cortical pathology.

Intrathecal antibody production is a hallmark of multiple sclerosis and humoral immunity is thought to play an important role in the inflammatory response and development of demyelinated lesions. The presence of lymphoid follicle-like structures in the cerebral meninges of some multiple sclerosis patients indicates that B-cell maturation can be sustained locally within the CNS and contribute to the establishment of a compartmentalized humoral immune response. In this study we examined the distribution of ectopic B-cell follicles in multiple sclerosis cases with primary and secondary progressive clinical courses to determine their association with clinical and neuropathological features.