Chronic neutropenia in childhood: Analysis of 16 cases and a review of the literature

We analyzed the clinical histories and hematologic information concerning 16 persons in whom chronic neutropenia was discovered early in life. Only two of them, those with the lowest mean neutrophil counts, had frequent and severe pyogenic infections. Almost all the infections were caused by Staphylococcus aureus or by enteric microorganisms and involved the skin, respiratory tract or gastrointestinal system. The prognosis in our subjects or in patients described in the literature could not be predicted from the bone marrow morphology, presence or absence of blood monocytosis, pattern of genetic transmission or results of special tests of neutrophil function.We propose that the complex nomenclature associated with chronic neutropenic states be discarded until a better basis for classification becomes available.     

Bone secondaries in breast cancer: the solitary metastasis

The bone scan findings of 160 consecutive cases of breast cancer metastatic to bone presenting to Guy's Hospital between 1982-1987 were retrospectively assessed for number and distribution of lesions. Twenty-one percent of patients relapsed with a solitary bone metastasis. The spine was the commonest site for both solitary (52% of cases) and multiple (87%) metastases. Solitary bone metastases are more common than previously thought.     

Psychiatric diagnoses of Cuban refugees in the United States: findings of medical review boards

To assess the reproducibility of psychiatric diagnoses made in immigration proceedings, the authors examined cases of 109 Cuban refugees who had appealed psychiatric diagnoses that precluded their admission to the United States according to the Immigration and Nationality Act. Medical review boards upheld only 23 (42%) of 55 initial diagnoses of antisocial personality disorder but affirmed exclusionary certifications in 39 (72%) of the 54 other cases. Failure to sustain a high proportion of diagnoses of antisocial personality disorder may reflect interviewer biases, cross-cultural inappropriateness of diagnostic criteria, or other deficiencies in the current system of psychiatric evaluation of potential refugees.     

The comparative distribution of monoclonal antibodies to CEA in colorectal xenografts

The in vivo distribution of three different, parenterally administered, monoclonal antibodies to CEA was studied in MAWI human colorectal tumour xenografts. By the use of conventional autoradiography, more antibody was generally detected within necrotic areas, extracellular spaces and stromal connective tissue than within tumour cells. However, some peripheral tumour cell groups markedly accumulated anti-CEA. The number of such groups involved and the degree to which antibody was internalised varied widely with the antibody studied. Immunoperoxidase staining of the same preparations showed that antibody accumulation did not necessarily correspond to CEA-positivity. These findings are compared with results of previous work with polyclonal anti-CEA, and discussed in relation to the use of anti-CEA's as carriers to deliver cytotoxic agents into colorectal tumours.     

Chromophore organization in photosynthetic reaction centers: High-resolution magnetophotoselection

The electron spin resonance spectrum of the triplet excited state of Rhodopseudomonas spheroides R-26 reaction centers has been studied after excitation with the polarized narrow-bandwidth output of a tunable dye laser from 520 to 670 nm. A theory is developed relating experimental observables to the angles between the electronic transition dipole moment of the excited chromophore and the principle magnetic axis system of the triplet state of the dimeric trap. Data is presented which demonstrates that the treatment is correct and useful, and angles are obtained for the Q_x transitions of bacteriopheophytin. High-resolution magnetophotoselection data in the region of the bacteriochlorophyll Q_x transitions can be combined with polarized photobleaching experiments to provide direct information on the structure of dimeric trap.     

Comparison of single-segment and double-segment Intacs for keratoconus and post-LASIK ectasia

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of single-segment Intacs and compare with double-segment Intacs in subjects with post-LASIK ectasia and keratoconus. DESIGN: Retrospective comparative analysis. METHODS: setting: Boxer Wachler Vision Institute, Beverly Hills, California, USA. study population: Thirty-seven eyes of 28 patients with keratoconus and post-LASIK ectasia classified into two groups: single-segment group (17 eyes, 11 patients) and double-segment group (20 eyes, 17 patients). Both groups were matched for age, visual acuity (uncorrected, UCVA; best spectacle-corrected, BSCVA), refractive error (sphere, cylinder, spherical equivalent), and keratometry (K) value (flat, steep, average) by t test for equality of means. intervention: Single- or double-segment Intacs procedure with axis of incision for insertion in the steep axis of manifest refraction. main outcome measure: Improvement of acuity, refractive error, K values, and inferior-superior (I-S) ratio. RESULTS: There was more improvement in UCVA in the single-segment group (nine lines) than the double-segment group (2.5 lines), P < .01; in BSCVA in the single-segment group (2.5 lines) than the double-segment group (<1 line), P < .01; in steep K values in the single-segment group (2.76 diopters +/- 2.68) than the double-segment group (0.93 diopters +/- 2.01), P = .02; and in I-S ratio in the single-segment group (9.51 +/- 7.49) than the double-segment group (4.22 +/- 4.82), P = .01; and greater cylinder decrease after Holladay vector analysis in the single-segment group (5.69 diopters +/- 3.10) than the double-segment group (1.58 diopters +/- 3.09), P < .01. CONCLUSIONS: Single-segment Intacs improved both UCVA and BSCVA by differential flattening of inferior meridian and steepening of superior meridian as reflected by change in I-S ratio.     

In vitro functional capabilities of canine polymorphonuclear neutrophils collected simultaneously by continuous-flow centrifugation and continuous-flow filtration leukopheresis

Polymorphonuclear neutrophils were simultaneously collected from dogs by continuous-flow centrifugation and continuous-flow filtration leukapheresis. In vitro studies were performed on cells obtained by the two methods as well as on control cells. Studies consisted of assessment of phagocytic capacity, degranulation, chemotaxis, hexose monophosphate (HMP) shunt activity, and bacterial killing. The cells obtained from the filter were metabolically more active than those harvested by centrifugation, as evidenced by increase in resting HMP shunt activity and dimunition in total available lysozyme-secreting activity compared to centrifuged cells. Despite their impaired phagocytic capacities, the filtered cells were able to kill Staphylococcus aureus as efficiently as the centrifuged cells. Both cell populations responded to chemotactic gradients equally.     

The visual hyperstriatal region in the chick: potentials evoked by electrical stimuli

The visual hyperstriatum of the 100-g chick has been investigated for responses evoked by electrical stimuli to the optic papilla. The visual hyperstriatum is not restricted to the anterior forebrain; posterior regions are also responsive, but for maximum response in amplitude the stimulating electrodes need to be re-positioned and, for reliable detection, a 10-fold gain in amplification is required.