Interleukin-5 is at 5q31 and is deleted in the 5q- syndrome

Human interleukin-5 (IL-5) is a selective eosinophilopoietic and eosinophil-activating growth hormone. By in situ hybridization this gene is mapped to chromosome 5q23.3 to 5q32. It is shown to be deleted in two patients with the 5q-syndrome and in one patient previously diagnosed with myelodysplasia whose condition had progressed to acute myeloblastic leukemia. The clustering of other genes involved in hematopoiesis (IL-3, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, feline sarcoma viral oncogene homolog, colony-stimulating factor 1) to the same region as IL-5 suggests a nonrandom localization and raises interesting questions concerning the evolution and regulation of these genes.     

Long-term Clinical Performance of Resin-Bonded Fixed Partial Dentures Placed in a Developing Country

Purpose This study assesses the clinical performance of 92 resin-bonded fixed partial dentures (FPDs) placed at four private practices in Karachi, Pakistan, between 1982 and 1991. Materials and Methods The distribution of the FPDs was 9 perforated, 45 electrolytically etched, and 38 silicoated. Twenty-five FPDs replaced anterior teeth and 67 replaced posterior teeth. There were 66 FPDs with single pontics and 26 with multiple pontics. The perforated designs used a restorative composite for cementation, whereas the electrolytically etched and silicoated designs used a composite luting cement. The observation periods for the perforated, electrolytically etched, and silicoated FPDs were 114,99, and 30 months respectively. Results During the evaluation period, 27 FPDs (29%) failed; of these, 4 were perforated, 18 were electrolytically etched, and 5 were silicoated. The mean (±SD) duration of the successful clinical service for all FPDs was 41 ± 26 months. The mean time to failure for the FPDs that did not survive was 35 ± 23 months. The silicoated FPDs tended to have early failure, as did the FPDs with multiple pontics and those in the mandibular arch. Anterior and posterior FPDs performed equally well. Conclusions These findings, in conjunction with those from Europe and North American, show that resin-bonded FPD technology is as successful in a developing country as in industrialized areas of the world.     

A prospective study of multiple needle biopsies versus a single open biopsy for testicular sperm extraction in men with non-obstructive azoospermia

Little is known about the efficacy and the factors affecting the outcome of fine needle aspiration biopsy of the testis for sperm retrieval in azoospermic men with defective spermatogenesis. A prospective study was designed to compare the efficacy of needle and open (window) testicular biopsies for testicular epididymal sperm extraction (TESE) in 35 consecutive men with azoospermia due to defective spermatogenesis undergoing testicular biopsy for intracytoplasmic injection of oocytes. Each of the consecutive 35 patients underwent TESE using a 19 gauge butterfly needle followed by a window (1-1.5 cm-sized incision) testicular biopsy in the same procedure. The extraction of spermatozoa into culture medium was compared with the assessment of testicular biopsies by histology, the mode of biopsy (needle or open biopsy) and the amount of tissue retrieved by either method. Testicular spermatozoa were retrieved in 22 (63%) who had an open testicular biopsy compared with five (14%) patients who had multiple needle biopsies, respectively; the difference was statistically significant. Open testicular biopsy retrieves more testicular tissue than needle biopsy. Needle testicular biopsy retrieved testicular spermatozoa in 50% of those with hypospermatogenesis, 10% with focal spermatogenesis and in no patients with maturation arrest or Sertoli cell-only pattern. In contrast, sperm retrieval was successful in 100%, 90% and 66% of those with respective histologies using open testicular biopsy. Other than bruising, for which they required no analgesia, none of the patients suffered any obvious complications associated with traditional testicular biopsy. We conclude that open testicular biopsy is more effective than needle biopsy for the retrieval of testicular spermatozoa in azoospermic men with defective spermatogenesis. The difference observed may be related to the amount of testicular tissue retrieved and to the influence of testicular histology.      

Enhancing patency,safety and cost effectiveness of catheters

Catheters are generally known to be the last resort for blood access in dialysis. Because of the many problems related to catheter use, catheters are banned from vascular access courses organized by professional societies and the development of catheters and catheter related equipment relies on a few interested medical doctors with limited knowledge of hydraulics and material science. Rather than accepting the need for catheters and the need for improving catheters and catheter related procedures, vascular access meetings typically begin and end with statements saying that the use of fistulas must be increased and catheters must be banned. Several small companies have developed new catheters and catheter related equipment, which potentially overcome many of the problems related to the use of catheters. The authors had the privilege of participating in one of these developments and report about basic features and clinical experience of the DIALOCK® blood access port and an antimicrobial catheter locking solution (CLS) which is used with conventional catheters as well as with the DIALOCK®.     

陈旧性跟骨骨折截骨治疗40例

0　引言　陈旧性跟骨骨折晚期出现患足疼痛及跛行 ,功能障碍的病理变化十分复杂 ,治疗也较困难 .近年来我们应用跟骨截骨 ,距后关节融合 ,外踝管扩大术治疗该病 40例共 41足 ,获得满意效果 .1　对象和方法1.1　对象　陈旧性跟骨骨折患者 40例 41足 ;随访 37足 ;男36例 ,女 4例 ;年龄 2 0～ 5 7(平均 36 )岁 .左足 2 6例 ,右足 13例 ,双足 1例 .早期经保守治疗无效 34例 ,跟骨撬拔治疗术后过早负重 ,骨折部再次移位而出现症状 6例 7足 .41足均出现负重时距下关节周围弥漫性疼痛 ,跛行 ,患足跟部增宽 ,外翻畸形 6 9% ,内翻畸形 7% ,纵弓塌陷、…     

Does targeting manual therapy and/or exercise improve patient outcomes in nonspecific low back pain? A systematic review

Background  

A central element in the current debate about best practice management of non-specific low back pain (NSLBP) is the efficacy of targeted versus generic (non-targeted) treatment. Many clinicians and researchers believe that tailoring treatment to NSLBP subgroups positively impacts on patient outcomes. Despite this, there are no systematic reviews comparing the efficacy of targeted versus non-targeted manual therapy and/or exercise. This systematic review was undertaken in order to determine the efficacy of such targeted treatment in adults with NSLBP.     

Some observations on the Inb antigen and evidence that anti-Inb causes accelerated destruction of radiolabeled red cells

This report describes an example of anti-Inb, a red cell alloantibody directed against a high-frequency antigen, detected in a prenatal sample obtained from a Canadian woman of Asian Indian extraction. Although the antibody is IgG1, it could not be detected in the serum or on the red cells (RBCs) of her In(b+) infant. Evidence is provided that the Inb antigen is denatured by papain, ficin, trypsin, bromelin, cystein-activated papain/dithiothreitol, 6 percent aminoethylisothiouronium, and 50 mM dithiothreitol, but not by neuraminidase. Inb antigen strength appears reduced on the In(Lu) type but not on the LuLu type of Lu(a-b-) RBCs. RBCs from a patient with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria showed normal Inb antigen strength as did Ko, Ge:-2,3, Ge:-2,-3, and Yt(a-) RBCs. A RBC survival study using 51Cr-labeled In(b+) RBCs showed 97 percent survival 90 minutes after injection but reduced survivals of 62 and 14 percent at 24 and 96 hours, respectively. These results indicate that this example of anti-Inb is unlikely to be implicated in an immediate hemolytic transfusion reaction, but that delayed extravascular hemolysis might occur.