Modern wound dressings: Making and properties. II. Wound dressings containing immobilized proteolytic enzymes (a review)

Published data devoted to making and characterization of the properties of polymeric wound dressings with proteolytic action are reviewed. These data are indicative of individual dependence of the physicochemical properties, activity, and stability of each particular enzyme on the type of polymer matrix and the method of immobilization. In order to obtain wound dressings, which are active in physiological medium and retain their activity upon sterilization, it is necessary to optimize the composition and characteristics of a polymer matrix and the enzyme included into its structure. __________ Translated from Khimiko-Farmatsevticheskii Zhurnal, Vol. 40, No. 8, pp. 24–28, August, 2006.     

A Survey of Plants Used as Wild Vegetables in Four Districts of Botswana

A survey of plants used as wild vegetables was conducted in four districts of Botswana in August and September 2005. The objective was to determine which wild plants were used as vegetables in the study area, and to document their cooking and preservation methods. Fourteen species representing seven families were mentioned as wild vegetables. In addition, six species from four families had other uses in traditional medicine. The implications of the documented processing methods on the retention of nutrients in the vegetables are discussed.     

Barrett食管及相关并发症的X线探讨

目的:通过16例经内窥镜及病理证实为Barrett食管的钡餐检查表现,初步探讨Barrett食管及其并发症放射学检查的意义。方法:回顾性分析16例Barrett食管的内窥镜和气钡检查的记录及表现,着重探讨气钡检查的X线表现。结果:食管内窥镜和组织学检查全部病例均有炎症改变,其他可见胃食管反流、食管溃疡和食管腺癌。放射学钡餐检查结果:Barrett食管炎4例,Barrett食管溃疡7例,Barrett食管癌5例。结论:Barrett食管及其并发症至今无明确放射学征象,改进对“Z”线的检查技术和方法,有可能提高其发现率。钡餐发现胃食管反流、食管裂孔疝同时并发食管炎、食管溃疡及食管癌者均应考虑到本症的可能。     

皮瓣展平法在耳廓再造时扩张皮瓣感染中的应用

目的探索耳廓再造时扩张皮瓣感染的处理方法。方法分析中国协和医科大学整形外科医院外耳冉造中心2003年1月～2005年12月耳廓再造时耳后扩张皮瓣发生感染，经皮瓣展平法处理，感染控制后进行耳再造的12例（12耳）患者的治疗情况。结果12例（12耳）患者手术顺利，术后恢复好，再造耳效果与无感染者无明显差异。结论皮瓣展平法是耳廓再造时扩张皮瓣感染较理想的处理方法。     

Induktionschemotherapie zur Evaluation einer definitiven Radiochemotherapie bei Patienten mit Larynxkarzinomen

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Introducing dental students to clinical patient care: The complete denture prosthodontics transition clinic

Using complete denture treatment as an introduction to clinical patient care for dental students, the purposes of the Complete Denture Prosthodontics Transition Clinic at the University of Colorado School of Dentistry are to reduce the time lapse between the preclinical complete denture prosthodontics course and the first denture patient experience, and to encourage development of student self-confidence and skills. In the 2002 spring semester, faculty at the University of Colorado School of Dentistry initiated the Complete Denture Prosthodontics Transition Clinic for DS-II (second-year) dental students, as an introduction to clinical patient care. Each patient was assigned to a team of two dental students. Three Division of Prosthodontics faculty members staffed each clinic session, providing a student-to-faculty ratio of approximately 6.6:1 and a patient-to-faculty ratio of approximately 3.3:1. All DS-II students in the Class of 2004 delivered their first complete dentures no later than 8 months (average, 184 days) after the last day of the preclinical complete denture prosthodontics course. The time from the diagnostic appointment through the denture placement appointment averaged 39 days for patients treated in this program, compared with an average of 98 days or more for previous classes. The program was successful in achieving the goal of reducing the time lapse between the preclinical complete denture prosthodontics course and the first denture patient experience.     

Humoral and Cellular Responses to Influenza Vaccination in Human Recipients Naturally Tolerant to a Kidney Allograft

Rare kidney allograft recipients enjoy unaltered graft function years after interruption of their immunosuppressive treatment. To assess the extent to which this state of 'operational tolerance' (TOL) is specific to the graft and not the result of a global immunodeficiency, we analyzed the response of such patients following influenza vaccination. Hemagglutination inhibition titers and frequency of IFNgamma-secreting T cells were measured before 1 and 3 months after vaccination. The proportion of healthy volunteers (HV) responding to vaccine was significantly higher than that of immunosuppressed (IS) patients. Three 'TOL' patients presented a humoral response similar to that of HV, whereas the two others had a poor response, like the IS recipients. Although the small number of patients does not allow for definitive conclusions to be made, these data suggest that the status of tolerance may be heterogeneous, with some patients with a global immunodeficiency and others with an adapted response to vaccination.