Detection of a high molecular weight heparin binding acidic growth factor in human placenta.

A heparin binding fibroblast growth factor with a molecular weight of approximately 45 kDa has been detected in human placenta. The protein was extracted from placenta and purified by a combination of ammonium sulfate precipitation, DE-52 anion exchange chromatography, G100 gel exclusion and heparin sepharose affinity chromatography. The molecule was shown to be monomeric after treatment with beta-mercaptoethanol, and had an acidic isoelectric point.

Complicated suppurative otitis media in a Greek diver due to a marine halophilic Vibrio sp.

Halophilic vibrios are distinct from non-cholera vibrios and have been recognized increasingly as potentially pathogenic bacteria in extraintestinal infections. A case of suppurative chronic otitis media in a Greek diver with Vibrio alginolyticus recovered from an ear drainage culture, is reported. The patient received appropriate antimicrobial therapy and her hearing improved significantly after a tympanoplasty type I was performed.

Susceptibility of Capnocytophaga to antimicrobial agents.

A total of 22 clinically isolated Capnocytophaga strains were tested for their susceptibility to antimicrobial agents frequently used in dental practice. All strains were susceptible to penicillin, ampicillin, cefaclor, cefuroxime, erythromycin, clindamycin and tetracycline. Metronidazole had poor activity against most strains.

Alterations in Thyroid Hormones and Thyrotropin (TSH) in Morbidly Obese Patients before and after Vertical Gastroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Published results of studies of thyroid function in obesity and after weight loss have differed. METHODS: The circulating concentrations of thyroid hormones and TSH were studied in 30 consecutive, euthyroid morbidly obese patients before and after weight loss from vertical gastroplasty, with the aim to determine the relation between body weight loss and pituitary-thyroid axis function. Serum TSH, free T3 (FT3) and free T4 (FT4) were measured before operation and repeated 6 and 18 months postoperatively.

Design and implementation of secure medical database systems.

Medical database security plays an important role in the overall security of medical information systems and networks. This is both because of the nature of this technology and its widespread use today. Database security not only involves fundamental ethical principles, but also essential prerequisites for effective medical care.

Seasonal activity of ixodid ticks on goats in northern Greece.

Ixodid ticks were collected at monthly intervals for 20 consecutive months from 25 goats of the local breed selected at random from a flock grazing permanently around a village in northern Greece. Three species of ixodid ticks were recovered, Ixodes gibbosus, Rhipicephalus bursa and Dermacentor marginatus. I gibbosus was the most abundant and prevalent species.

New aspects on the topography of the tendon of the long head of the biceps brachii muscle. One more stabilizer factor of the shoulder joint.

There are little variations in descriptions on the origin of the tendon of the long head of the biceps brachii muscle, in the classical text books of Anatomy. Most authors define as the main origin of the tendon of the long head of the biceps brachii muscle, the supraglenoid tubercle and adjoining part of the glenoid labrum of the scapula. In the present study we found that the origin of the tendon of the long head of the biceps brachii muscle extended towards almost the whole periphery of the glenoid cavity on the glenoid labrum except from a small area near to the supraglenoid tubercle.

Evaluation of different ovarian stimulation protocols for in vitro fertilization.

In this study we evaluated retrospectively the efficacy of five different ovarian stimulation protocols in an in vitro fertilization program, in which 512 women were involved. Ovulation was induced by the following protocols: group I (271 cycles): buserelin short protocol (1 mg/day, intranasally) with human menopausal gonadotropin/human chorionic gonadotropin (hMG/hCG); group II (45 cycles): buserelin (short protocol) with pure follicle stimulating hormone (p-FSH)/hMG/hCG; group III (24 cycles): clomiphene citrate (100 mg/day) with hMG/hCG; group IV (122 cycles): hMG (3 ampules/day) and hCG; group V (113 cycles): hMG/hCG and prednisolone (7.5 mg/day) after cycle programming with oral contraceptives.

Immunohistochemical phenotyping and PCNA detection in gastrointestinal stromal tumors.

The immunohistochemical profile and the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) were studied in a series of 44 mesenchymal tumors of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). On routinely hematoxylin-eosin stained sections 31 cases were classified as leiomyomas or leiomyomatoid tumors, 12 as leiomyosarcomas and 1 as a neurilemmoma. Immunohistochemical stains for smooth muscle antigen (SMA), S-100 protein, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), vimentin and desmin were performed with the peroxidase-antiperoxidase method on paraffin sections.

Migraine of gastrointestinal origin.

Unlabelled: A consecutive series of 31 children (median age 12 years) suffering from migraine with (n = 21) or without (n = 10) aura underwent endoscopic oesophageal, gastric and duodenal biopsy in order to determine whether the complaints were of gastro-intestinal origin. Of these 31 children, 13 (41.9%) showed oesophagitis, 16 (51.

Successful pregnancy after treatment of cervical pregnancy with methotrexate and curettage. A case report.

Cervical pregnancy was diagnosed in a nulliparous, 28-year-old woman who presented with intermittent vaginal spotting at 12 weeks of gestation. Sonographic evaluation revealed a cervical gestational sac with a fetus with cardiac activity. Methotrexate was instilled intraamniotically, followed by an intramuscular injection with folinic acid rescue.

Circadian variations of plasminogen activator activity, tissue-type plasminogen activator antigen, plasminogen activator inhibition and plasmin inhibition in rat aorta, heart and brain are influenced by endotoxin or aspirin or endotoxin plus aspirin.

The effect of aspirin or endotoxin or aspirin plus endotoxin on the circadian variations of plasminogen activator activity (PAA), tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) antigen level, plasminogen activator inhibition (PAI) and plasmin inhibition (PI) in aorta, heart and brain of the rat was studied. In aorta the circadian variations of PAA, t-PA antigen and tissue-type PAI (t-PAI) were blunted by endotoxin, while the circadian variation of PI was reversed; t-PAI variation was blunted by aspirin plus endotoxin, while PI variation was reversed. Various disturbances of the circadian variations of PAA, t-PA antigen, PAI or PI in heart and brain were also observed.

Increased peripheral blood normal myeloid progenitor cells (CFU-GM) in chronic lymphocytic leukemia: a perspective for autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation.

We assayed granulocyte-macrophage committed progenitor cells (CFU-GM) in the peripheral blood of 34 patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and 12 normal individuals. The patients were divided into separate groups on the basis of previous therapy (i.e.

Effect of phenobarbital, spironolactone and pregnenolone-16 alpha-carbonitrile on rat hepatic beta-glucuronidase.

beta-Glucuronidase cleaves beta-glucuronides of drugs, steroids, as well as macromolecular compounds containing glucuronic acid bound with a beta-glycoside bond. Therefore, the study of induction of this enzyme by known microsomal enzyme inducers is of obvious interest. The effect of phenobarbital, spironolactone and pregnenolone-16 alpha-carbonitrle on the rat liver beta-glucuronidase was studied.

Splenorrhaphy for splenic damage in patients with multiple injuries.

Objective: To evaluate the results of splenorrhaphy by a 'figure of eight' suture in patients with multiple injuries.

Design: Open clinical study.

Setting: University hospital, Greece.

Laparoscopic tubal surgery. A retrospective comparative study of open microsurgery versus laparoscopic surgery.

The aim of this study is to compare retrospectively the outcome of patients that underwent tubal surgery by laparotomy or laparoscopy by the same surgeon Thirty two women that presented with distal tubal obstruction were treated by laparoscopic tubal surgery and 38 by laparotomy and microsurgery. Patients were equally matched for age, duration of infertility and severity of disease. In all cases there were no injuries to adjacent groups and no additional surgery was needed.

Correlation of proliferating cell nuclear antigen assessment, histologic parameters and age with survival in patients with glioblastoma multiforme.

A series of 27 glioblastomas multiforme were studied to compare the prognostic value of age and histologic parameters known to influence survival with that of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). The labelling index (LI) of PCNA has been found in previous studies to correlate well with flow cytometry, tritiated thymidine, bromodeoxyuridine incorporation and Ki 67. The histologic parameters estimated were endothelial proliferation, number of mitoses per high power field, cellularity and a grading of necroses.

Changes of hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg) in liver biopsies of patients with chronic active hepatitis B treated with interferon.

Data have shown that hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg) is detected in both the hepatocyte nucleus and cytoplasm. Its expression is associated with chronic hepatitis and active viral replication. The intrahepatic distribution of HBcAg was studied in liver biopsies of 14 patients with chronic active hepatitis B (CAH-B) (5 were hepatitis B e antigen [HBeAg]+/anti-HBe--, 9 were HBeAg--/anti-HBe+) by an immunohistochemical method (PAP) before and after 6-month treatment with interferon (IFN), and our findings were analyzed according to the response of patients to treatment.

Influenza surveillance in N. Greece during 1983-1993.

Following the WHO programme to monitor influenza, the National Influenza Centre for N. Greece presents the results of a laboratory surveillance during 1983-93. Influenza viruses were isolated every year except for 1986-87 and 1987-88 seasons.

Percutaneous transluminal renal angioplasty in patients with renovascular hypertension: long-term results.

This study evaluated the long-term effects of percutaneous transluminal renal angioplasty (PTRA) on blood pressure and renal function in patients with renovascular hypertension. Seventy-eight patients with hypertension and unilateral or bilateral stenoses of the renal arteries (16 with fibromuscular dysplasia and 62 with atherosclerosis) were studied. All patients with fibromuscular dysplasia (group A) had normal renal function, while 27 of the 62 patients with atherosclerosis (group B) presented with various degrees of renal failure.

Experimental study of the biocompatibility of four root canal sealers and their influence on the zinc and calcium content of several tissues.

Four root canal sealers (AH-26, Roth 811, CRCS, and Sealapex) were tested for tissue biocompatibility in rat connective tissue. Each sealer was placed in Teflon tubes and implanted subcutaneously in Wistar-Furth rats. The implants were removed after 7, 14, and 21 days, fixed, and histologically prepared for microscopical evaluation.

Excretion of MPA in the milk of lactating ewes treated for synchronization of estrus.

Ten mature lactating ewes of the Chios island breed 3.5 +/- 0.5 (Mean +/- SEM) yr of age and weighing 51.

Recombinant a2 interferon (a-IFN) with chemo-hormonal therapy in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Recent studies on HCC treatment reveal a tendency to use combined immuno-chemo-therapy. Additionally, new agents have been suggested in this field. We therefore studied 7 patients with proven inoperable HCC who were treated in accordance with the following protocol, and 5 untreated patients used as controls.

Novel 1,4 substituted piperidine derivatives. Synthesis and correlation of antioxidant activity with structure and lipophilicity.

A series of novel piperidine derivatives was prepared and their lipophilicity was determined (as RM values). These compounds as well as two intermediate alpha-keto-esters were tested for antioxidant activity. It was found that the cysteamine derivatives were efficient antioxidants, i.