Correlation between T2* cardiovascular magnetic resonance with left ventricular function and mass in adolescent and adult major thalassemia patients with iron overload.

Aim: to assess for a correlation between T2*CMR with LV function and mass in thalassemic patients with iron overload.

Methods: a cross-sectional study on thalassemic patients was conducted between July and September 2010 at Cipto Mangunkusumo and Premier Hospitals, Jakarta, Indonesia. Clinical examinations, review of medical charts, electrocardiography, echocardiography, and T2*CMR were performed.

Molecular friction dissipation and mode coupling in organic monolayers and polymer films.

The impact of thermally active molecular rotational and translational relaxation modes on the friction dissipation process involving smooth nano-asperity contacts has been studied by atomic force microscopy, using the widely known Eyring analysis and a recently introduced method, dubbed intrinsic friction analysis. Two distinctly different model systems, i.e.

Enhanced prostaglandin E2 production by monocytes in atopic dermatitis (AD) is not accompanied by enhanced production of IL-6, IL-10 or IL-12.

AD is associated with a bias of the T helper cells to show increased IL-4 and reduced interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) production. The production of IFN-gamma and IL-4 and the development of Th cells into either high IFN-gamma or high IL-4 producers is strongly influenced by factors produced by antigen-presenting cells (APC), like IL-12 and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). IL-12 selectively enhances IFN-gamma production and favours the development of IFN-gamma-producing Th cells, whereas PGE2 selectively inhibits IFN-gamma production by Th cells.

Once daily mometasone furoate aqueous nasal spray is as effective as twice daily beclomethasone dipropionate for treating perennial allergic rhinitis patients.

Background: Perennial allergic rhinitis is chronic and persistent, may lead to a constellation of secondary complaints including sinusitis, mouth-breathing, and some symptoms resembling a permanent cold, and often requires constant medical intervention. Well-tolerated nasal corticosteroids, alone or in combination with antihistamines, have been found to be very effective in treating this condition.

Objective: To compare the effectiveness and tolerability of mometasone furoate aqueous suspension, a new once daily nasal spray, to placebo vehicle and to beclomethasone dipropionate, administered twice daily, in patients with perennial allergic rhinitis.

Grass pollen immunotherapy induces highly cross-reactive IgG antibodies to group V allergen from different grass species.

Sera from two groups of patients receiving grass pollen immunotherapy were tested on IgG reactivity with group V allergen from six different grass species. One group of patients was treated with a mixture of 10 grass species, and the other with a mixture of five. Only Lolium perenne, Dactylis glomerata, and Phleum pratense were present in both mixtures.

Technique of torsion measurement of the lower extremity using computed tomography.

Axial CT is the most accurate and convenient technique for the measurement of lower limb torsion; its accuracy is equal to that of cadaveric skeletal measurement. Both extremities are examined simultaneously, and the comparison of the right and the left leg provides the most important value. The torsion angulation is obtained directly by superimposing the magnified image of each scan on the other.