Infant hearing screening with an automated auditory brainstem response screener and the auditory brainstem response

From 1653 babies hospitalized in the Veterans General Hospital—Taipei from 1993 to 1995, 260 infants at risk of hearing impairment were selected. The risk criteria of hearing impairment for neonates were based on the recommendation of the US Joint Committee on Infant Hearing, 1990 Position Statement. All these infants were screened with the Algo-1 Plus, an automated auditory brainstem response (ABR) screener at a mean postconceptional age of 40.7 ± 4.5 weeks. Thirty-nine cases (39/260, 15%) involving 57 ears (57/520, 11%), failed the screening. Except for one infant who died, the babies had an ABR test for both air- and bone-conducted stimuli and an otological examination. The case-specific incidence of conductive hearing deficit at the initial ABR test was 5.4%. The prevalence of sensorineural hearing deficits was between 2.3% confirmed and 3.1% including infants who did not have follow-up tests. The n-value that indicated agreement between the Algo-1 and ABR results was 0.64, and the overall efficiency of using Algo-1 to correctly identify pass or failure of the ABR was 83%.     

Aurora B expression and histone variant H1.4S27 phosphorylation are no longer coordinated during metaphase in aneuploid colorectal carcinomas

Experimental model systems identified phosphorylation of linker histone variant H1.4 at Ser 27 (H1.4S27p) as a novel mitotic mark set by Aurora B kinase. Here, we examined expression of Aurora B and H1.4S27p in colorectal carcinoma (CRC) cell lines (HCT116, DLD1, Caco-2, HT29) and tissue specimens (n?=?36), in relation to microsatellite instability (MSI) status and ploidy. In vitro, Aurora B (pro-/meta-/anaphase) and H1.4S27p (pro-/metaphase) were localized in mitotic figures. The proportion of labeled mitoses was significantly different between cell lines for Aurora B (p?=?0.019) but not for H1.4S27p (p?=?0.879). For Aurora B, these differences were not associated with an altered Aurora B gene copy number (FISH) or messenger RNA (mRNA) expression level (qRT-PCR). Moreover, Aurora B expression and H1.4S27 phosphorylation were no longer coordinated during metaphase in aneuploid HT29 cells (p?=?0.039). In CRCs, immunoreactivity for Aurora B or H1.4S27p did not correlate with T- or N-stage, grade, or MSI status. However, metaphase labeling of H1.4S27p was significantly higher in diploid than in aneuploid CRCs (p?=?0.011). Aurora B was significantly correlated with H1.4S27p-positive metaphases in MSI (p?=?0.010) or diploid (p?=?0.003) CRCs. Finally, combined classification of MSI status and ploidy revealed a significant positive correlation of Aurora B with H1.4S27p in metaphases of diploid/MSI (p?=?0.010) and diploid/microsatellite-stable (MSS; p?=?0.031) but not of aneuploid/MSS (p?=?0.458) CRCs. The present study underlines the functional link of Aurora B expression and H1.4S27p during specific phases of mitosis in diploid and/or MSI-positive CRCs in vitro and in situ. Importantly, the study shows that the coordination between Aurora B expression and phosphorylation of H1.4 at Ser 27 is lost in cycling aneuploid CRC cells.     

Spiral-shaped biliary endoprosthesis: initial study

A new flexible, spiral-shaped biliary endoprosthesis is described. This spiral endoprosthesis can negotiate acute angles, can be cut to any length, and has been specifically designed to deal with the problem of stent migration. The authors report their initial experience with this endoprosthesis in 14 patients.     

Diagnosis of gluten enteropathy and efficiency of its treatment

AIM: To develop screening diagnosis of gluten enteropathy (GEP), indications to administration of glucocorticoid hormones and objective criteria of effective treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Clinical, immunological (antibodies-Abs to alpha-gliadin, reticulin and endomisium) examinations, enterobiopsy with morpho- and stereometry of small intestinal mucosa were made in 200 GEP patients. The examination was repeated 6 months to 5 years and later after the discharge from the hospital. RESULTS: Mean values of Abs to alpha-gliadin was 6 times higher than normal values. Positive titers of Abs to endomisium and reticulin were in 100 and 87.5% patients, respectively. Formed stool was registered 1.5 times more frequently, polyfecalia occurred 2.5 times less frequently, hypovitaminosis and trophic disorders were relieved 3 times more frequently, malabsorption syndrome reduced in patients given prednisolone vs those untreated with it. CONCLUSION: Screening diagnosis of GEP may be based on Abs tests to alpha-gliadin, reticulin and endomisium. Improvement of clinical condition of GEP patients can be stated by decreased diarrhea, polyfecalia and malabsorption symptoms. The treatment efficacy may be judged by clinical improvement, recovery of morphological structure of small intestinal mucosa, normalization of concentration of Abs to alpha-gliadin, reticulin, endomisium. Administration of prednisolone provides more complete and rapid rehabilitation of the patients.     

Vaccination of children with allergic diseases in foci of diphtheria infection

As many as 11 children suffering from allergic diseases were vaccinated in 2 foci of diphtheritic infection. At the moment of immunization 3 children manifested a subacute course of atopic dermatitis, 4 children with bronchial asthma were vaccinated during a short-term disease remission (from 10 days to 2 months). Provided the children received combined therapy and were seen by the allergologist, the postvaccinal period ran its course without any side reactions. The children demonstrated high enough titers of antidiphtheritic and antitetanic antibodies, with IgE concentrations ranging within age norms. The authors suggest approximate schemes for medicamentous preparation of allergic children to be immunized whatever the course of the underlying disease.     

Effectiveness of prestarium in the treatment of chronic cor pulmonale

AIM: To study efficiency and safety of application of perindopril (prestarium) in patients with chronic cor pulmonale (CCP). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The trial included 26 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease complicated with CCP and cardiac failure of NYHA class II-III. The study group of 16 patients received perindopril 2-4 mg/day for 3 months. 10 controls received routine therapy. All the patients were examined before the treatment and 3 months after it using physical examination, echocardiography, Doppler echocardiography, 24-h Holter ECG monitoring, assessment of potassium and creatinine in the serum, quality of life. RESULTS: The treatment decreased functional class of cardiac failure and mean pulmonary arterial pressure, lowered malignant arrhythmia frequency, improved quality of life and intracardiac hemodynamics, inhibited right ventricular remodelling. CONCLUSION: Perindopril is well tolerated and safe efficient medicine in patients with decompensated CCP.