Human granulocytic ehrlichiosis in pancreas transplant recipients.

Human ehrlichioses are tick-borne infections caused by bacteria in the genus Ehrlichia of the family Rickettsiaceae. To date there have been three cases of ehrlichiosis reported in the transplant population, a human monocytic ehrlichiosis (HME) infection in a liver transplant recipient and two cases of human granulocytic ehrlichiosis (HGE) in kidney transplant recipients. We report three pancreas transplant patients who developed HGE in the last two years at a single southeastern center in the United States.

Patterns of cytomegalovirus infection in simultaneous kidney-pancreas transplant recipients receiving tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and prednisone with ganciclovir prophylaxis.

Background: The impact of tacrolimus (TAC), mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and steroid immunosuppression on cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in combination with ganciclovir prophylaxis in simultaneous kidney-pancreas transplantation (SKPT) has not been well studied.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was made of 75 SKPTs performed between 1 January 1996 and 7 January 1999. All patients received ganciclovir for 3 months, but CMV donor (D)+ / recipient (R)- patients received ganciclovir for 6 months.

Defibrillation and the geometry of the heart: a novel measurement with implications for defibrillation mechanisms.

We present a novel measurement for studying defibrillation mechanisms: the time course of changes in the size of the left ventricular (LV) cavity within 500 ms following defibrillation. Mechanical changes can be linked to electrical mechanisms via an understanding of excitation-contraction coupling. Eight mongrel dogs were internally defibrillated 5-50 seconds (including backup shocks) after the onset of 20 ventricular fibrillation (VF) episodes per animal.

Water soluble propofol anesthesia: an effective and inexpensive alternative.

The authors discuss solubilized propofol, and demonstrate its acute use in guinea pigs as an effective, less expensive, easy-to-use alternative for laboratory animal anesthesia.

Role of nitric oxide synthase in collagen-platelet interaction: involvement of platelet nonintegrin collagen receptor nitrotyrosylation.

Platelets possess the endothelial isoform of nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), which plays an important role in platelet function. Other laboratories, including ours, have reported that nitric oxide (NO) is released upon exposure of platelets to collagen, but the mechanism of the interaction is not yet established. The objective of this study is to examine the possible role of nonintegrin receptor nitrotyrosylation on collagen-induced platelet aggregation.

Physicians' perceptions and responses to patient emotion: implications for social work practice in health care.

Physicians serve a pivotal role in today's health systems, as they are often the first professional patients must contact for emotion problems. This study surveyed 225 practicing physicians to understand how they perceive patient emotion and the actions they would then take in response to these perceived emotions. In reply to nondescript "emotion complaints" from a patient vignette, these physicians perceived the patient as experiencing anxiety, followed by fear, anger and sadness.

The intestine expresses pancreatic triacylglycerol lipase: regulation by dietary lipid.

We identified the enzyme responsible for alkaline lipolysis in mucosa of rat small intestine. RT-PCR was used to amplify a transcript that, by cloning and sequencing, is identical to pancreatic triacylglycerol lipase. In rats fed normal laboratory chow, pancreatic triacylglycerol lipase mRNA was detected in all four quarters of the small intestine, with the first quarter expressing about three times as much of this transcript as was found in the more distal three-quarters combined.

Socioeconomic Factors, not Ethnicity, Predict Breast Self-Examination.

The American Cancer Society has recommended monthly breast self-examinations (BSEs) to aid in the early detection of breast cancer. Compliance with BSE recommendations has been shown to be decreased in certain ethnic groups. This investigation evaluates relevant variables involved in BSE compliance in an urban breast cancer screening center.

Sports and marfan syndrome: awareness and early diagnosis can prevent sudden death.

Marfan syndrome is an autosomal dominant disorder of the connective tissues. Its major manifestations are in the cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, and ocular systems. Recognizing the phenotypic presentation of tall stature, long limbs and fingers, chest deformity, myopia, midsystolic click, and systolic or diastolic murmur can lead to early diagnosis.

An in vitro study of microleakage of occlusal composite restorations polymerized by a conventional curing light and a PAC curing light.

With the increase in usage of bonded dentistry procedures, so comes the development of advanced technology to polymerize it. The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the microleakage of sealants and resin restorations utilizing two different curing lights. The conventional Ortholux curing light (OCL) and the Plasma Arc Curing (PAC) light attached to the KCP air abrasion unit of American Dental Technologies were utilized to polymerize sealants and resin restorations on extracted third molars and premolars.

Can we induce tolerance in rheumatoid arthritis?

Oral tolerance (OT) has worked well in numerous laboratory animal models of autoimmune diseases. Humans have been orally tolerized to keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH); patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc, scleroderma) have been orally tolerized to oral type I collagen (CI). However, clinical trials of oral type II collagen (CII) therapy in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have had mixed results.

The predictive value of serum interleukins in recurrent respiratory papillomatosis: a preliminary study.

Objective: IL-2 is the primary interleukin responsible for activation of the cell-mediated (Th1) arm of the immune response. Our objective was to determine whether a correlation existed between circulating levels of interleukin-2 as well as its soluble receptor (sIL-2R) and the clinical course of recurrent respiratory papillomatosis.

Methods And Materials: Fifteen children with a histological diagnosis of RRP were recruited.

Insulin-like growth factor-I receptor antagonism results in increased cytotoxicity of breast cancer cells to doxorubicin and taxol.

Therapeutic strategies for patients with advanced-stage adenocarcinoma of the breast frequently include the use of cytotoxic chemotherapy. Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) receptor, a key factor in cell-cycle regulation, is frequently overexpressed in high-grade breast cancers. IGF-I receptor overexpression in these tumors may provide a target for novel molecular therapy against this disease.

Role of the recombinant protein of the platelet receptor for type I collagen in the release of nitric oxide during platelet aggregation.

Nitric oxide plays an important role in platelet function and platelets possess the endothelial isoform of nitric oxide synthase. Several reports have indicated that nitric oxide is released upon exposure of platelets to collagen. We have reported that a non-integrin platelet protein of 65 kDa is a receptor for type I collagen.

A synthetic nonapeptide derived from the sequence of a platelet type I collagen receptor inhibits type I collagen-mediated platelet aggregation.

We have cloned the platelet receptor for type I collagen, but the structure-function of the receptor has not been completely established. The purpose of this investigation was to identify a collagen binding site(s) of the platelet receptor. Three peptides were synthesized chemically.

Impairment of mucosal immunity by parenteral nutrition: depressed nasotracheal influenza-specific secretory IgA levels and transport in parenterally fed mice.

Objective: To examine the effects on mucosal selective transport of polymeric IgA (pIgA) and the ability of exogenous pIgA to provide protection despite altered mucosal transport.

Summary Background Data: Parenteral nutrition significantly impairs established antipseudomonal immunity and IgA-mediated antiviral immunity in association with gut-associated lymphoid tissue mass atrophy. Lack of enteral feeding also induces mucosal effects.