Antibody-dependent in-vitro cytotoxicity of newborn Trichinella spiralis larvae: nature of the cells involved

The cytotoxic reaction of normal peritoneal mouse cells, containing less than 3% eosinophils, against newborn Trichinella spiralis larvae, in the presence of antibody, was studied using newborn worms less than 2 h of age, or newborn worms that had been maintained in culture at 37 degrees C for 20 h. Newborn worms 2 h old were killed, whereas 20 h newborn worms were not. The cells that initially adhered to the larvae were examined by electron microscopy. Only eosinophils adhered to 2 h newborn worms and only macrophages to 20 h ones. The attached eosinophils degranulated and died after a few hours. The macrophages that adhered to, but did not kill the 20 h newborn worms were morphologically in good state and no lysis of the larvae was observed. These results suggest that different antibody classes are involved in eosinophil and macrophage adherence, and strongly support the hypothesis that eosinophils mediate larval destruction. They also show that rapid changes are taking place after birth in the structure of the larval cuticle and that the age of Trichinella newborn worms is a major factor in the antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity reaction.     

Polymorphous Ventricular Tachycardia and Atrioventricular Block

Nine patients are presented who had polymorphous ventricular tachycardia (PMVT) occurring during atrioventricular (AV) block. There were five men and four women with a mean age of 80 +/- 9 years. Five patients had organic heart disease and the remaining four had primary conduction disease (bundle branch block). AV block was complete in four patients (2:1 in three, and paroxysmal in two). The mean ventricular cycle length (of the AV block rhythm) was 1567 +/- 203 ms. The mean QT interval was 0.64 +/- 0.09 s and the mean QTc was 0.51 +/- 0.06 s. When compared to a similar control group with AV block but without PMVT, the ventricular cycle length was similar but the QT and QTc were significantly longer. PMVT was usually of short duration (eight beats to 12 s) and in seven of these nine patients, frequent premature ventricular beats (PVBs) were recorded at various times from the occurrence of PMVT. This is in contrast to the control patients in whom PVBs were detected in one patient only. In conclusion, patients with AV block who develop PMVT usually have longer QT intervals and have detectable PVBs on routine ECGs, unlike similar patients with AV block but without PMVT. In a patient with AV block, a QT interval above 0.60 s and PVBs on the ECG seem to indicate an increased risk for the development of PMVT.     

Effect of awareness through movement on the head posture of bruxist children

Summary  The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of physiotherapy to improve the head posture and reduce the signs of bruxism in a group of bruxist children. A single-blind randomized clinical trial was performed. All the subjects were 3- to 6-year old, had complete primary dentition, dental and skeletal class I occlusion and were classified as bruxist according to the minimal criteria of the ICSD for bruxism. For each child, a clinical, photographic and radiographic evaluation of the head and cervical posture were realized with standardized techniques. The children were randomized in an experimental ( n  = 13) and a control ( n  = 13) group. A physiotherapeutic intervention was applied to the children of the experimental group once a week, until 10 sessions were completed. Afterwards, the cephalogram and the clinical and photographic evaluation of the head posture were measured again. The data were analysed with the t -test and Mann–Whitney test. The subjects of the experimental group showed statistically significant improvement in the natural head posture. The physiotherapeutic intervention showed to be efficient to improve the head posture at the moment of measurement in the studied children. The relationship between bruxism and head posture, if exists, seems to be worthwhile to examine.     

Part 3. Postpartum Care of the HIV-Positive Woman and Her Newborn

For women with HIV infection, physical and psychosocial adaptation during the postpartum period is fraught with ambivalence. On the one hand, there is the joy of parenthood, but on the other, the burden of a chronic, terminal illness and the possibility of having an infected newborn. The nursing care of the HIV-positive woman and her newborn is discussed. Guidelines for hospital discharge teaching are included.