The utility of a single glucometer measurement of fasting capillary blood glucose in the prevalence determination of diabetes mellitus in an urban adult Palestinian population

This paper aims to evaluate the utility of a single glucometer fasting capillary blood glucose (FCBG) measurement in determining the prevalence of diabetes mellitus in a homogeneous adult population. FCBG measurements were compared with results of the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) in 445 subjects aged 30-65 years in an urban cross-sectional study in Old Ramallah. Prevalence of diabetes, sensitivity, specificity and predictive values were calculated at different cut-off levels of FCBG, using OGTT as the reference. The prevalence of OGTT-diagnosed diabetes was 2.7%, while it varied considerably using different cut-off levels of FCBG. The sensitivity of a single glucometer (Exac Tech II) measurement of FCBG at the cut-off level of 6.7 mmol 1(-1) was 33.3%, with a specificity of 98.8%. Using the cut-off level of 6.1 mmol 1(-1) as suggested by the 1998 provisional report of a WHO consultation, the sensitivity increased to 41.7%. At a cut-off level of 5.6 mmol 1(-1), a sensitivity of 66.6% was reached, but the specificity decreased slightly. It can be concluded that a single glucometer measurement of FCBG in an adult population is not useful in determining the prevalence of diabetes mellitus.     

Clinical features and prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma with respect to pre-S deletion and basal core promoter mutations of hepatitis B virus Genotype C2

Few studies have reported on the clinical characteristics of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) at the time of diagnosis with regard to pre-S and basal core promoter (BCP) mutations. In this study, the clinical features and prognosis of 126 Korean HCC patients were examined with respect to pre-S deletion and BCP mutations of hepatitis B virus. The proportion of HCC patients according to tumor-node-metastasis stage are as follows: 8.7% in stage I, 31% in stage II, 30.2% in stage III, 21.4% in stage IV-A, and 8.7% in stage IV-B. Overall, 40.5% of HCC patients were treated by surgery or ablation, 59.5% by other methods. Patients were divided according to pre-S deletion and BCP mutations (103 without pre-S deletion, 23 with pre-S deletion; 44 without BCP mutation, 82 with BCP mutation). The tumor characteristics and prognosis were evaluated between the groups, including size, number, type, vessel invasion, portal vein thrombosis, and metastasis. No significant difference in tumor characteristics between the HCC patients with pre-S deletion was observed, compared with the HCC patients without pre-S deletion. In contrast, the survival rate was lower in those with pre-S deletion than in those without it (P = 0.024). No difference in tumor characteristics was found in non-BCP and BCP mutation patients. Unlike the pre-S deletion group, no difference was observed in survival rate between the non-BCP and BCP patients. In conclusion, pre-S deletion and BCP mutations did not affect the initial tumor features. However, pre-S deletion was an independent risk factor affecting HCC survival.     

Comparison of anterior and rotatory laxity using navigation between single- and double-bundle ACL reconstruction: prospective randomized trial

Purpose  

To prospectively assess the anterior tibial translation and rotational kinematics of the knee joint as well as the clinical outcome after single-bundle (SB) and double-bundle (DB) anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction.     

Prognostic Value of Renal Vein Renin Determination in Suspected Renovascular Hypertension

ABSTRACT. Surgical correction of unilateral renal artery stenosis was performed in 31 hypertensive patients. Preoperative renal vein renin ratios (RVRR) before and after dihydralazine stimulation were measured in all patients. Postoperative blood pressures were normal in 12, improved in 17 and unchanged in 2 patients. Six patients did not have renin lateralization, but all were cured or improved after surgery. RVRR was a poor predictor of the results of surgery in patients with unilateral renal artery stenosis.     

Attempts of bone induction by xenogeneic epithelial cells in sublethally and lethally irradiated mice. Preliminary report.

Contrary to non-irradiated mice, no heterotopic bone formation was observed in sublethally (700 R) irradiated animals. In animals lethally irradiated (850 R) and protected with syngeneic bone marrow, a bone induction can be observed. The induction is weaker and infrequent when inducing cells are administered 2 weeks after irradiation and repopulation, and a cortisone was given at the time of epithelial cell grafting, than when the inducing cells were given immediately after irradiation and repopulation, and no cortisone was administered.