Maternal and paternal risk factors and adverse neonatal outcomes among Hispanic subgroups in Illinois (1989 through 1993).

Objectives: The study purposes were to examine maternal and paternal high-risk factors and note associated differences in birth outcomes among Hispanic subgroups compared with white and black populations in Illinois.

Study Design: Computerized birth certificate data of 131,768 Hispanic singleton neonates (14.1% of all Illinois births from 1989 through 1993) were compared among five Hispanic subgroups.

Recurrence of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis in the posttransplant lungs of a cystic fibrosis patient.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an autosomal recessive disease of exocrine origin. Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) is an immunologic disorder caused by colonization of the airways with Aspergillus fumigatus. A fumigatus has been cultured from posttransplant lungs in CF patients.

Growth factor-induced transcription via the serum response element is inhibited by cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate in MCF-7 breast cancer cells.

The effect of increased intracellular cAMP on MCF-7 breast cancer cell growth was examined by treating cells with either forskolin, an activator of adenylate cyclase, or 8-[4-chlorophenylthio]-cAMP (8-CPT-cAMP), a cAMP analog. Compared to cells maintained in control medium, treatment with either 1 or 10 microM forskolin decreased cell growth by 17% and 68%, respectively, whereas treatment with 250 microM 8-CPT-cAMP decreased cell growth by 29%. To determine whether this effect of cAMP on cell growth was mediated by inhibition of the activity of extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1 and -2), two mitogen-activated protein kinases, the effect of cAMP on growth factor-induced ERK activity in MCF-7 cells was examined.

Effects of incubation time and buffer concentration on in vitro activities of antifungal agents against Candida albicans.

Nine selected isolates of Candida albicans were tested for their susceptibilities to amphotericin B and fluconazole by using three methods to assess the effect of incubation time and buffer concentration. By using a microdilution method with 0.0165 M 3-(N-morpholino)propanesulfonic acid (MOPS) and a 24-h incubation time, all of the isolates were found to be susceptible to amphotericin B and fluconazole.

Functional differentiation of T cells in the intestine of T cell receptor transgenic mice.

The intestinal lamina propria (LP) is a major effector site of the mucosal immune system where antigen-specific and antigen-nonspecific factors shape the functional responses of CD4+ T helper cells. To study the functional differentiation of LP T helper cells we utilized DO11.10 T cell receptor (TCR) transgenic (Tg) mice that expressed a clonotypic TCR specific for a class II major histocompatibility complex-restricted peptide of chicken ovalbumin.

Recombinant factor VIIa in the management of a pseudotumour in acquired haemophilia.

Bleeding in nonhaemophilic patients with high-titre factor VIII autoantibodies is often severe, life-threatening and refractory to treatment with factor VIII concentrates. In this report, we describe an elderly woman who required surgical excision of a large haemophilic pseudotumour adjacent to the left gluteal muscle. The Bethesda titre of 11 U precluded treatment with human factor VIII, and the patient had an anaphylactic reaction to porcine factor VIII.

Effect of dexamethasone on ciprofibrate-induced cell proliferation and peroxisome proliferation.

Peroxisome proliferators cause liver cell proliferation in addition to other pleiotropic effects such as peroxisome proliferation and induction of certain peroxisomal and cytosolic enzymes in liver. Since dexamethasone has been shown to inhibit mitogen-induced liver cell hyperplasia, we examined whether dexamethasone inhibits only cell proliferation without affecting peroxisome proliferation induced by peroxisome proliferators such as ciprofibrate. Livers of rats fed a diet containing ciprofibrate (0.

Detection of Clonal Rearrangement of the T-cell Receptor Gamma Gene by Polymerase Chain Reaction and Single-strand Conformation Polymorphism (PCR-SSCP).

Background: Diagnosis of T-lymphoid neoplasms frequently requires molecular studies of T-cell receptor (TCR) gene rearrangements. The Southern blot technique traditionally used for these analyses lacks the sensitivity and speed necessary for the routine clinical laboratory. The authors have developed a method using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification with single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis that is rapid, sensitive, and semiautomated.

Objective Pulse-Synchronous "Essential" Tinnitus due to Narrowing of the Transverse Dural Venous Sinus.

Subjective tinnitus is a common problem with many etiologies. Objective tinnitus, in which the sound is perceived by both the patient and the examiner, is less common. Objective tinnitus of the vascular type, in which a pulse synchronous bruit is heard by an independent observer, is frequently related to an underlying arterial or arteriovenous malformation, most commonly a dural arteriovenous fistula (DAVF) involving the transverse and sigmoid sinuses.

In vitro activity of RP 59500 (quinupristin/dalfopristin) and ramoplanin against vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium.

Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VREF) collected between July 1991 and February 1994 were tested in vitro against RP 59500 and ramoplanin using agar dilution and standard macro broth dilution procedures. Colony counts were determined at 0, 4, and 24 h. RP 59500 had an MIC range of < or = 0.

Relative absence of neuropsychological deficit in patients with low grade astrocytomas.

Given the current accuracy and precision of modern brain imaging technology, there is presumed to be little utility in neuropsychological assessment procedures in patients with brain tumors. The primary exposure of many clinical neuropsychologists to patients with brain tumors is during their training, in the form of didactic classroom activities, such as reviewing the brain tumor cases of early investigators in the field. Historically, these brain tumors were the more aggressive and destructive tumors, such as grade III and IV astrocytomas, that could be identified with pre CT and pre MRI technology.

Clinical psychology in medical settings: Psychology's role in health care.

The number of clinical psychologists working in medical settings has grown along with the range of services provided by psychologists to patients with a multitude of medical problems across the lifespan. Medical care cost savings brought about by these psychological interventions is highlighted along with issues of public policy and specialization of training. The opportunity for ongoing development of clinical psychology in medical settings is described as unlimited and the mission of the newJournal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings is presented as supporting that growth.

The use of ethanol for preserving proteins and glycoproteins of the trabecular meshwork.

We evaluated methods for storage of the trabecular meshwork and irisciliary body for protein and glycoprotein analysis. The trabecular meshwork and irisciliary body of rabbit eyes were microdissected and stored in Laemmli sample buffer, Carnoy's fluid (75% ethanol-25% glacial acetic acid), or 100% ethanol at ambient temperature, 4 degrees C, -20 degrees C, or -80 degrees C for 24 h or 30 days. Fresh and stored tissues were processed for one-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and Western blot using Con A lectin.

Constraints in antigen processing result in unresponsiveness to a T cell epitope of hen egg lysozyme in C57BL/6 mice.

T cell hybridoma clones were derived after fusion of BW-5147 parent cells with lymphocytes from C57BL/6 mice injected with phosphorylcholine (PC)-hen egg lysozyme (HEL) conjugates. Several T cell hybridomas were preferentially reactive with PC-HEL over unconjugated HEL, and a particular clone (PC-H4.1) was further analyzed.

Progress in the treatment of early breast cancer.

Progress has been made in the prevention and early detection of breast cancer. As a consequence, there have been changes in treatment. Mammography, the standard screening procedure, is more widely accepted so that in situ and minimal lesions are diagnosed more often.

Psychological aspects of painful medical conditions in children. II. Personality factors, family characteristics and treatment.

In part II of a two-part series, the psychological aspects of painful medical conditions and their treatment are reviewed. While considerable attention has been devoted to the study of personality, family characteristics, treatment of recurrent abdominal pain, growing pains and headaches, with few exceptions these studies have significant methodological problems. Studies of the psychological aspects of pain associated with such pediatric disorders as cancer, sickle cell anemia, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, and burns are generally only beginning to emerge, but at least a few of the single-case studies show appropriate attention to methodology.

Psychological aspects of painful medical conditions in children. I. Developmental aspects and assessment.

The assessment and development of pain in children is reviewed in the first part of a two-part series. Assessment of pain in children has relied on self-report measures that have included visual analogue procedures using concrete stimuli for ratings. Behavioral assessment procedures are more sophisticated, but research on behavioral assessment of pediatric pain has begun to emergy only recently.