The changing face of paediatric hydrocephalus: a decade's experience.

All 253 children receiving neurosurgical intervention for hydrocephalus (HCP) at a single British Neurosurgical Unit over a decade were investigated by retrospective case note review. Referral rates and mean age at presentation remained stable throughout, as did proportions of children presenting due to myelomeningocoele or meningitis. Comparing the first and second halves of the decade, the predominant aetiologies (intraventricular haemorrhage [IVH] at <1 year and brain tumour at 1-16 years) reduced from comprising half (70/129) of all cases to just over one-third (43/124). Other significant changes included a 45% reduction in neonatal IVH and a 179% increase in rare miscellaneous disorders. Outcome after 4 years of follow-up for all patients showed 44.4% without deficit, 11.9% with non-cognitive neurological deficits only, 11.5% with cognitive impairment only, 13.5% with both cognitive and neurological impairments, and 15.5% mortality.     

Evaluation of Class I ART restorations in Brazilian schoolchildren: three-year results

Atraumetic Restorative Treatment (ART) has been adopted around the world to avoid unnecessary extractions, especially in non-industrialized countries The development of specific glass ionomer cements marketed for the ART technique has contributed to the technical success rate. In this study. Ketac-Molar^a (3M ESPE. Dental Medzn Germany) was used to restore 150 Class I cavities in 118 Brazilian public school children, aged from 7–12 years. At baseline and at subsequent recalls. CPI probes with a ball-end of 0.5 millimeters (mm) were used to assess loss of restorative material, and photographic color transparencies of restorations were made. After six months. 83 patients returned for follow-up examinations, with 71.8% of their restorations designated as acceptable. After three years. 49 patients with 57 ART-restorations were evaluated, with 21.0% of these restorations graded as acceptable Another 29.8% of their restorations had been replaced by more permanent materials. The main objective of the ART technique is tooth retention; this was achieved for 94.7% of the restored teeth in a high caries risk population who returned for recalls.     

Ten cases of transitional cell carcinoma of bladder causing ureteric obstruction

A review was carried out on 10 patients with superficial transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder (Ta lesions) that were causing ureteric obstruction. Evidence of upper tract obstruction did not necessarily indicate deep invasion.     

Thermafil热熔牙胶、Vitapex临床常用根管充填材料微渗漏比较研究

目的 :对比根充糊剂 牙胶尖、Vitapex 牙胶尖、Thermafil热熔牙胶三种根管充填材料对离体人牙根管的密封性能。方法 :将 5 0个新鲜拔除的人单根管牙 ,在釉牙骨质界处切除牙冠。将所有牙根随机分为 5组 ,每组 10个。 3个实验组分别用上述三种材料充填根管 ;剩余 2组 ,一组根管预备后不进行充填 ,另一组不进行根管预备 ,也不进行根管充填。用印度墨水染色法对比三种根管充填材料对离体人牙根管的密封性能 ,体视显微镜下测量染色线长度并进行统计学分析。结果 :根充糊剂 牙胶尖组、Vitapex 牙胶尖组和Thermafil热熔牙胶组的平均染色线长度分别为 3 .3 6± 0 .42mm、2 .0 9± 0 .19mm、1.0 5± 0 .3 7mm。Vitapex糊剂 牙胶尖或Thermafil热熔牙胶进行根管充填 ,产生的根管封闭性明显优于用根充糊剂 牙胶尖组根管充填 (P <0 .0 5 ) ;而Vitapex糊剂 牙胶尖和Thermafil热熔牙胶比较时 ,统计学无显著性差异 (P >0 .0 5 )。结论 :Thermafil热熔牙胶的密封性能最强 ,Vitapex糊剂 牙胶尖次之 ,根充糊剂 牙胶尖最弱。     

Detection of HIV1 proviral DNA by PCR and hybridization with digoxigenin labelled probes.

One of the main obstacles for the introduction of PCR method to identify HIV1 proviral DNA in routine diagnostic laboratories is the use of radiolabelled oligodeoxynucleotide probes. Nonradioactive labelled probes have several advantages over radioactive labelling: they are stable for over 1 year, they can be produced easily in large amounts and they are safe. Polymerase chain reaction is an efficient and simple method to produce vector free inserts to use as probes. In this paper we describe a procedure for labelling DNA probes with digoxigenin-11-dUTP using the polymerase chain reaction. This non-radioactive labelling system was applied to detect HIV proviral sequences, amplified in vitro by PCR, from peripheral blood mononuclear cells DNA of infected subjects. We found identical sensitivities and specificities for probes synthesized with the non-radioactive and radioactive labelling procedures. The digoxigenin-11-dUTP can be efficiently incorporated during amplification of a DNA fragment using the polymerase chain reaction. This labelling and detection method proved to be specific, sensible and simple enough to be used in routine diagnostic laboratories for the detection of HIV1 infected individuals.     

Choreic syndrome and coeliac disease: a hitherto unrecognised association.

Coeliac disease has been associated with a variety of neurological conditions, most frequently cerebellar ataxia and peripheral neuropathy. To date, chorea has not been associated with coeliac disease. We present the case histories of 4 individuals with coeliac disease and chorea (4 women, average age of onset of chorea 61 years). Unexpectedly, most of these patients showed a notable improvement in their motor symptoms after the introduction of a gluten-free diet.     

Relationship between digestive and killing abilities of neutrophils against Paracoccidioides brasiliensis.

Peripheral blood neutrophils (PMN) from patients with paracoccidioidomycosis killed and digested Paracoccidioides brasiliensis much less than did PMN from normal individuals or from patients with other diseases. However, deficiency in killing ability was less specific than digestive deficiency and correlated poorly with it. We conclude that the capacities of PMN to digest and kill P. brasiliensis are not intimately related phenomena, and that in paracoccidioidomycosis the key deficiency of neutrophil function is that of digestion of P. brasiliensis.