Immunoglobulins in cerebrospinal fluid in central nervous system disorders

Immunoglobulins were estimated in the cerebrospinal fluid from 70 cases of nervous system diseases. Thirty childern with evidence of C.N.S. irritation without infection served as controls. The immunoglobulins were higher in cases with C.N. S infections. Within this group meningeal involvement (tubercular and pyogenic) resulted in a significant rise in IgG compared to viral encephalitis. The proportion of immunoglobulin in the CSF protein can be helpful in distinguishing TBM from PM.     

Protocol for Physiotherapy OR Tvt Randomised Efficacy Trial (PORTRET): a multicentre randomised controlled trial to assess the cost-effectiveness of the tension free vaginal tape versus pelvic floor muscle training in women with symptomatic moderate to severe stress urinary incontinence

Background  

Stress urinary incontinence is a common condition affecting approximately 20% of adult women causing substantial individual (quality of life) and economic (119 million Euro/year spent on incontinence pads in the Netherlands) burden. Pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) is regarded as first line treatment, but only 15-25% of women will be completely cured. Approximately 65% will report that their condition improved, but long term adherence to treatment is problematic. In addition, at longer term (2-15 years) follow-up 30-50% of patients will end up having surgery. From 1996 a minimal invasive surgical procedure, the Tension-free Vaginal Tape (TVT) has rapidly become the gold standard in surgical treatment of stress urinary incontinence. With TVT 65-95% of women are cured. However, approximately 3-6% of women will develop symptoms of an overactive bladder, resulting in reduced quality of life. Because of its efficacy the TVT appears to be preferable over PFMT but both treatments and their costs have not been compared head-to-head in a randomised clinical trial.     

Stenosis of the vena cava: preliminary assessment of treatment with expandable metallic stents

To test the ability of Gianturco expandable metallic stents to dilate and maintain patency in stenotic venae cavae, stenosis of the inferior vena cava was created in seven mongrel dogs by the percutaneous injection of absolute ethanol into the paravascular retroperitoneal space. Gianturco stents, placed across the stenotic segment, resulted in successful dilatation with improved hemodynamics in four dogs. The stents failed to dilate an occluded vena cava in one dog; in the remaining dogs, stent placement was complicated by early migration and occlusion. Gianturco stents were placed in two patients, one with superior vena cava syndrome and one with retroperitoneal fibrosis that obstructed the inferior vena cava, and resulted in immediate relief of presenting symptoms. These results should be viewed cautiously, but further investigation into the clinical use of the stents is indicated, especially for patients for whom other treatments are difficult.     

On the development of the European S3 guidelines on the systemic treatment of psoriasis vulgaris: structure and challenges

Background The development of evidence based guidelines is a demanding and time consuming process. Therefore it is important to share the knowledge and discuss the structure of these guidelines in detail. Objectives To present a method report on the development process of the European evidence based guidelines on the systemic treatment of psoriasis vulgaris with the aim to offer guidance to other guidelines groups with lesser experience and to critically appraise the methodology of the guidelines development process. Methods The guidelines are based on the previously evaluated literature from three European national evidence based guidelines and an additional systematic search and evaluation of new literature. Further steps included a structured consensus conference and a DELPHI procedure to develop the recommendations, as well as several internal and external reviews. All steps were coordinated by the Division of evidence based medicine in cooperation with a group of methodologists. Results A total of 114 studies were included, serving as base for the efficacy chapters of the intervention. The recommendations, based on the efficacy and the level of evidence of the included studies were discussed and finally consented by the guidelines group. After subsequent reviews the guidelines were presented to the European Dermatology Forum, European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology and Union Européenne des Médicins Spécialistes for approval and published in October 2009. Conclusion The development of European evidence based guidelines requires a coordinated structure which can be achieved by the integration of an experienced group of methodologists. Nevertheless further improvements are imaginable and might be considered for an update or other European evidence based guidelines.     

Comparison of measurements obtained with hand files or the Canal Leader attached to electronic apex locators: an in vitro study

AIM: The aim of the present in-vitro study was to combine directly the Canal Leader handpiece (SET, Olching, Germany) with the electronic apex locators ROOT ZX (Morita, Kyoto, Japan) and JUSTY (Yoshida, Tokyo, Japan) to find out whether the working length values thus obtained were identical to those resulting from the combination of the same electronic devices with hand files. METHODOLOGY: A total of 50 natural extracted teeth with single canals and mature apices were used. A radiograph was used as a control and the distance from the radiographic apex to the tip of the file was measured and compared with the results of the electronic length determination. RESULTS: For both electronic devices the differences amongst the distribution of the measurements were not statistically significant under the specified conditions (P > 0.05), indicating that the measurements with hand files and with the Canal Leader were identical for the majority of the cases. CONCLUSIONS: Under the conditions of this study the working length of canals obtained with electronically assisted hand files were similar to those obtained with the electronically assisted mechanical handpiece Canal Leader.     

国产沉香化学成分的研究——Ⅲ.异白木香醇的结构测定和低沸点成分的分离与鉴定

自国产沉香(Aquilaria sinensis)[瑞香科(Thymeleaceae)植物]的挥发油中,经硅胶柱层析和离心薄层层析分离得到一新的倍半萜,命名为异白木香醇(isobaimuxinol),根据光谱(IR,¹HNMR,¹³CNMR,2 D-NMR和MS)分析确定其结构式为(Ⅰ)所示,并用X-光衍射晶体解析进一步确定了其立体化学。同时,也从该植物挥发油的低沸点部分分离得到四个已知化合物:苄基丙酮,对甲氧基苄基丙酮,茴香酸和β-沉香呋喃。这些化合物均为首次从该植物中得到。     

Glafenine-associated hepatic injury

ABSTRACT— Glafenine was associated with hepatic injury in 38 cases. The causal relationship was assessed on the basis of the temporal relationship with drug use, course and exclusion of other causes. In 27 cases a causal relationship was considered likely, i.e. ‘probable’ (12 cases) or ‘possible’ (15 cases), whereas in 11 cases it was either unlikely or unclassifiable. In both the ‘probable’ and ‘possible’ groups 60–70% of individuals were women. Jaundice was present in three-quarters of cases in both groups. Eosinophilia was more frequent in the group of ‘probable’ cases, and this group had the highest case-fatality rate (42%). Onset varied from 2 days (after a rechallenge) to 8 months, but most cases appeared between 2 weeks and 4 months after starting therapy. Histology in 22 cases showed a predominantly hepatocellular pattern, varying from spotty panlobular necrosis, centrilobular and (sub)massive necrosis (acute pattern) to fibrosis and cirrhosis (chronic pattern). The chemical structure of glafenine and the clinicopathological pattern it induces resemble that of cinchophen. The incidence is unknown. Either metabolic idiosyncrasy or an immunoallergic mechanism seems to be responsible.