Pulmonary endothelium: a dynamic interface

Appreciation of the cell biology of endothelial cells has contributed greatly to understanding of endothelium as a tissue. Endothelium can no longer be considered simply as an inert barrier with fixed permeabilities, nor as an unreactive expanse of non-thrombogenic surface. Pulmonary endothelium is now recognized to be a tissue composed of metabolically active, functionally responsive cells, that interact with circulating substrates and formed elements in ways that regulate the composition of systemic arterial blood, affect target organ functions, and contribute to thrombosis, hemostasis and immune reactions. Much impetus for the new appreciation of endothelial cell structures and functions has been derived from the ability to isolate and culture pulmonary endothelial cells. Improvements in culture conditions and the growing awareness that biochemical, ultrastructural, as well as physical (fluid mechanical), considerations must be taken into account should pave the way for greater understanding of the role of the endothelium in health and disease.     

Benign symmetrical lipomatosis

Benign symmetrical lipomatosis is an unusual disorder of fat metabolism that results in a characteristic accumulation of adipose tissue around the head and neck. Surgical extirpation is the only known effective therapy. Physical examination does not provide a comprehensive delineation of tumor extent. We present the first reported use of CT scanning to investigate the anatomic limits of BSL and to plan the operative approach.     

Secondary cerebral amebiasis due to infection with Entamoeba histolytica. A case report with computer tomographic findings

The clinical and serological findings and computer tomographic (CT) appearances of a case of secondary cerebral amebiasis due to Entamoeba histolytica are presented. The effect of therapy on the neurological symptoms as well as on the CT findings are described in detail. The multiple intracerebral lesions resolved almost completely and the patient survived without any neurological sequelae.     

Hospital periodontal surgery.

Phenytoin-induced gingival overgrowth is a recognized side effect in many cerebral palsy patients using diphenyl hydantoin for the control of seizures. Severe gingival overgrowth in these patients can affect normal masticatory function, lead to poor occlusal development, and compromise esthetics. This report addresses the complex nature of treating phenytoin-induced gingival overgrowth in a mentally retarded 20-year-old female patient. For this patient, full-mouth gingivectomy procedure was performed under general anesthesia in a single session. Post operative follow-up was uneventful. This article discusses major indications, contraindications, and protocols to be followed for periodontal surgical procedures done under general anesthesia.     

Sonographische Messung der Fruchtwassermenge

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Sensitivity and specificity of a new commercial enzyme-linked immunoassay kit for detecting Entamoeba histolyticaIgG antibodies in serum samples

The study presented here was conducted to evaluate the performance of the newly available RIDASCREEN Set (R-Biopharm AG, Darmstadt, Germany) for the detection of immunoglobulin G antibodies against Entamoeba histolytica. The sensitivity and specificity of this new enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were evaluated using a panel of sera from 239 individuals. The assay was positive for 43 of 44 patients with invasive amebiasis, including all 18 patients with amebic liver abscess, while it was negative for 190 of 195 adult controls who were either healthy individuals or patients with other parasitic diseases. The kit was found to be highly specific (97.4%) and sensitive (97.7%) for detecting antibodies against E. histolytica in humans. Although antibody titers in patients with amebic liver abscess tend to be higher on average than in patients with invasive amebiasis, it is not possible to distinguish the two forms solely based on the results of this commercial test.     

Anticerebellar antibodies--anti-Hu and anti-Yo--in the diagnosis of paraneoplastic neurologic syndromes]

The detection of antineuronal antibodies against cytoplasm and nuclei of Purkinje cells is considered to be an essential factor in the diagnosis of neurologic paraneoplastic syndromes. Published data rely on different immunological methods and relatively small numbers of patients. The clinical relevance of this phenomenon is not clear from the literature. A positive correlation between antibody detection and the appearance of neurologic paraneoplastic syndromes has been reported, but this finding has been questioned in critical reviews.