Evaluation of Bactec high blood volume resin media.

BACTEC PLUS high-blood-volume resin media (aerobic BP 26 vial and anaerobic BP 27 vial) were compared with standard BACTEC media (aerobic NR 6A and anaerobic NR 7A vial). A total of 2253 blood culture sets, each consisting of the four vials, were collected. Positive cultures were obtained from 403 sets and grew 428 organisms; 271 organisms were considered as significant.

Comparative in-vitro activity of RP 59500.

The in-vitro activity of RP 59500 was compared with that of other appropriate antibiotics against 131 staphylococci, 97 streptococci, 20 enterococci, 68 Neisseria spp., 68 Haemophilus influenzae, 21 Moraxella catarrhalis and 250 Gram-negative bacilli. RP 59500 was more active than oxacillin, vancomycin and erythromycin against staphylococci (MIC 0.

Rifabutin and ethambutol do not help recurrent Crohn's disease in the neoterminal ileum.

We tested the efficacy of rifabutin and ethambutol in combination in healing severe recurrent Crohn's disease in the neoterminal ileum. Sixteen patients who had undergone an ileal resection with partial colectomy and ileocolonic anastomosis and who had severe recurrent lesions in the neoterminal ileum at baseline ileocolonoscopy were included in the study. The patients received rifabutin in a dose of 5 mg/kg together with ethambutol, 20 mg/kg.

On the safety of 193-nanometer excimer laser refractive corneal surgery.

Current literature on the potential hazards of 193-nanometer excimer laser corneal surgery is reviewed. The healing process of the different layers involved in the procedure is examined. The epithelium regenerates without delay or abnormal adhesion.

Perichondrial microvascular free transfer: creation of a compound flap for laryngeal reconstruction in rabbits.

A free revascularized compound perichondrial flap was used over an intralaryngeally placed stent for reconstruction of a frontal laryngeal defect. The microvascular flap replaced the cartilaginous and mucosal defect. Short-term results showed successful reconstruction with a patent airway and viable mucosa.

Vascular adhesion molecules in acute and chronic liver inflammation.

Adhesion to and penetration through the sinusoidal vascular endothelium is a mandatory step for leukocyte migration and accumulation at sites of liver inflammation. This leukocyte trafficking is controlled by interactions between adhesion molecules on leukocytes and corresponding ligands on endothelial cells. We have analyzed the in situ distribution of two recently described vascular adhesion molecules (i.

Is the corneal contour influenced by a tension in the superficial epithelial cells? A new hypothesis.

Background: The corneal epithelium has a limited capacity to smooth stromal irregularities by compensatory variations in epithelial thickness.

Methods: Cuts were made in fixed and nonfixed human and rabbit corneal epithelium with an excimer laser, and undulations were produced in the anterior stromal lining of rabbit corneas by inducing hypotony of the eye balls.

Results: A retraction of the nonfixed epithelium at the edges of the cuts, and immediate small variations in epithelial thickness partly compensating for the induced irregularities in the stroma were observed.

Optic nerve decompression for indirect posterior optic nerve trauma.

Posterior indirect optic nerve trauma is a rare but possibly dramatic event. Since spontaneous recovery is unlikely, medical treatment by megadose steroid therapy is advocated. Optic nerve decompression may be usefull, but is still controversial.

Dysthyroid orbitopathy and orbital decompression. A review.

In the treatment of severe manifestations of dysthyroid orbitopathy, such as optic neuropathy and exposure keratitis, orbital decompression occasionally may be performed if steroids fail. In general, medial and inferior orbital wall decompression gives satisfactory results. The route may be transantral, but the transconjunctival or endonasal approach may be more appropriate for extraocular muscle balance and optic neuropathy respectively.

Acanthamoeba keratitis.

During the last year we came across three cases of Acanthamoeba keratitis. They were all contact lens wearers. The diagnosis of Acanthamoeba keratitis was established by the history, clinical picture and the culture of corneal and conjunctival swabs.

Inflammatory disorders of the esophagus.

Esophagitis is a very common disorder. The etiology cna be highly variable and is not always clear from the biopsy. The main microscopic inflammatory lesions are located in the epithelium.

The relation between radiotherapist, surgeon, pathologist and physicist in the treatment of early breast cancer.

In order to obtain optimal treatment results, close cooperation between the different disciplines involved in multimodality treatment of breast cancer is absolutely necessary. Open communication between radiotherapist, surgeon, pathologist and physicist forms a chain, as strong as its weakest link.

Distribution of the VLA family of integrins in normal and pathological human liver tissue.

The "very late activation" (VLA) subgroup of the integrin superfamily of adhesion molecules plays a central role in cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions. The six different VLA dimers known so far consist of a common beta subunit and a variable alpha (1 to 6) subunit. They serve as receptors for laminin, collagen, and fibronectin or function as adhesion molecules for leukocytes and are therefore of great significance in embryogenesis, growth and repair, and in leukocyte recirculation.

Is it necessary to repeat quality control procedures for head and neck patients?

Using serial verification films for detection of localization errors and in vivo measurements of the delivered dose, a comparison was made of the information obtained from a single check on the first treatment session or from repeated checks in subsequent irradiations, leading to an assessment of the predictive value of a single check. A total number of 215 films and 261 entrance dose measurements have been performed on 34 fields for 10 head and neck patients. The patients are immobilized with individual plastic masks fixed on the couch and treated on a 6 MV linac, supplied with an automatic verification system excluding the couch parameters.

Epiglottoplasty for reconstruction of posttraumatic laryngeal stenosis.

Laryngeal stenosis secondary to blunt laryngeal trauma is mostly localized at the supraglottic and glottic levels. The epiglottis is ideally suited to reconstruct the defect after excision of supraglottic and glottic scar tissue and anterior thyroid cartilage. It is the conclusion of the authors that epiglottic reconstruction is an effective procedure for repair of laryngeal stenosis at the supracricoid level.

Bilateral blindness in cavernous sinus thrombosis.

An unusual case of bilateral blindness secondary to a cavernous sinus thrombosis is reported. A woman who had undergone reconstructive surgery after tumor resection of the floor of the mouth, was readmitted 1 month later with bilateral proptosis and signs of sepsis. There were no complaints of blurred vision.

Nasolabial flap for the reconstruction of defects of the floor of the mouth.

Nasolabial flaps can be used for local reconstruction of moderate defects of the anterior oronasal structures. In a 10-year period 59 flaps were used in 43 patients to cover defects of the nose, lip and anterior structures of the oral cavity (floor of mouth, tongue, alveolar process). The fate of 26 of the flaps used for reconstruction of defects of the floor of the mouth in 16 patients, were reviewed.

Estimation of repair parameters in mouse lip mucosa during continuous and fractionated low dose-rate irradiation.

The present study investigated the effect of fractionated low dose-rate (FLDR) treatments in mouse lip mucosa, a typically early reacting tissue. The relation between dose-rate and fractionation effect has been assessed with various interfraction intervals and dose-rates. A fixed overall treatment time of 10 h has been used for the present continuous and fractionated irradiation experiments with corresponding dose-rates of 3.

Effect of age on the radiation-induced repopulation in mouse lip mucosa.

The acute macroscopic radiation reactions in mouse lip mucosa were used as a biological model to evaluate the influence of aging on the radiosensitivity and more specifically on the repopulation capacity after irradiation of rapidly proliferating epithelial tissues. No difference in the mucosa response after single dose irradiations was observed for animals ranging between one and twelve months of age. There was a trend for decreased radiosensitivity of the lip mucosa comparing 18 months old (early-senescence) with young adult mice.

Comparative antimicrobial activity of ceftibuten against multiply-resistant microorganisms from Belgium.

To study the activity of ceftibuten, we obtained multiply-resistant isolates from approximately 20 hospitals in Belgium. Against Enterobacteriaceae, all of the tested comparative compounds were more active than cefaclor, and ceftibuten and tigemonam were the most active of the agents tested. Ceftibuten MIC50s were less than or equal to 1 microgram/ml for most enteric bacilli species and 85% of strains were susceptible (less than or equal to 8 micrograms/ml).

Different patterns of pulmonary sequelae after hyaline membrane disease: heterogeneity of bronchopulmonary dysplasia? A clinicopathologic study.

In an autopsy study of 37 infants who suffered from hyaline membrane disease (HMD), two distinct patterns of pulmonary lesions could be defined. One pattern, characterized by marked interstitial fibrosis in the absence of airway abnormalities, was labelled 'interstitial-type' histology. A second type, labelled 'bronchiolar-type' histology, showed marked airway lesions and alveolar emphysema.

Correlation between temperature and dose rate dependence of semiconductor response; influence of accumulated dose.

The temperature and dose per pulse dependence of 20 Therados semiconductor detectors have been investigated. The rise in relative response observed when increasing temperature from 20 degree C to 32 degree C ranges between 1.00 and 1.

Neuroendocrine features of reactive bile ductules in cholestatic liver disease.

Various cholestatic liver diseases are accompanied by a striking increase in the number of bile ductules. This so-called ductular reaction is thought to arise both from ductular metaplasia of hepatocytes and from proliferation of pre-existing bile ductules. Previous studies have shown that these reactive bile ductules differ from their normal counterpart in enzyme and immunohistochemical make-up.