Predicting outbreaks: a spatial risk assessment of West Nile virus in British Columbia

Background  

West Nile virus (WNv) has recently emerged as a health threat to the North American population. After the initial disease outbreak in New York City in 1999, WNv has spread widely and quickly across North America to every contiguous American state and Canadian province, with the exceptions of British Columbia (BC), Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland. In this study we develop models of mosquito population dynamics for Culex tarsalis and C. pipiens, and create a spatial risk assessment of WNv prior to its arrival in BC by creating a raster-based mosquito abundance model using basic geographic and temperature data. Among the parameters included in the model are spatial factors determined from the locations of BC Centre for Disease Control mosquito traps (e.g., distance of the trap from the closest wetland or lake), while other parameters were obtained from the literature. Factors not considered in the current assessment but which could influence the results are also discussed.     

Severe astigmatic amblyopia secondary to subcutaneous juvenile xanthogranuloma of the eyelid.

A number of eyelid lesions in early childhood, most commonly dacryoceles and hemangiomas, have been documented to cause astigmatic changes of the cornea. Juvenile xanthogranuloma (JXG) is typically reported to include both cutaneous skin and anterior ocular segment lesions. We report a case of a 10-month-old infant in which a subcutaneous JXG lesion of the lower eyelid resulted in visually significant astigmatic amblyopia.     

Traumatic Injury of the Superior Mesenteric Vein: Ligate,Repair or Shunt?

Abstract We report a case of SMV injury in a critically ill patient. The patient was a 19-year-old woman involved in a motor vehicle collision. Her injuries included grade II splenic and renal lacerations, devascularized and lacerated right and transverse colon, a transected transverse mesocolon, a massive shear injury of her abdominal wall, and two partial SMV transections. At initial damage control laparotomy, the SMV was ligated, the devascularized bowel resected and a temporary abdominal closure applied. At re-operation, a mesocaval shunt using saphenous vein was employed. The shunt failed and the patient required a saphenous vein jump graft. Although visceral vascular injuries are rare, ligation of the SMV in a damage control situation is acceptable. This case study is the first to discuss appropriate treatment when interruption to a patient's collateral visceral venous drainage limits the surgeon’s ability to ligate. In these situations, bypass shunts may be successful.     

老年心力衰竭患者外周血红细胞膜脂流动性的变化及与心功能的相关性

目的观察红细胞膜脂流动性（LFU）在老年充血性心力衰竭（CHF）中的变化及其意义。方法选择CHF患者40例,正常对照者30例,用荧光分光光度计偏振技术测定外周血红细胞LFU。结果CHF组红细胞LFU明显低于正常对照组（P<0.01）;心功能越差,LFU越低（P<0.05和P<0.01）。结论红细胞LFU在一定程度上反映了CHF程度。     

Policy Perspective on Housing and HIV/AIDS

For persons battling HIV/AIDS a stable place to live may decide the length and quality of life itself. It is nearly impossible for a person on the streets to engage in a needed continuous AIDS treatment regimen when the very basic question of where that person will rest his or her head when darkness comes in just a few hours is unresolved. When danger lurks on the streets, when cold numbs the limbs, when tiredness overwhelms the mind, when fear breaks the spirit, a place to call home would make all the difference.     

Nonspecific mitochondrial disease with epilepsy in children: diagnostic approaches and epileptic phenotypes

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to characterize epileptic phenotypes in children with nonspecific mitochondrial disease (MD) and to evaluate MD diagnostic approaches. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of the medical, electroencephalogram, and laboratory records of 142 patients with epilepsy was performed. The patients were evaluated for MD, and 124 patients were included in the final cohort. The MD criteria used included an oral glucose lactate stimulation test (OGLST) and urine organic acid/plasma amino acid (UOA/PAA) assays as metabolic indicators of modified Walker criteria, as suggested by Bernier et al. (Neurology 59:1406-1411, 2002). RESULTS: Twenty-two patients were classified as having definite MD (9), probable MD (5), possible MD (6), or pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) deficiency (3), including one patient which showed a respiratory chain (RC) defect and PDH deficiency. Seven out of eight patients in whom significant RC defects were observed showed complex I defects. In 14 patients, epileptic seizures start at infantile ages. Of 17 patients who substantially presented generalized seizures, 4 patients started with partial seizures. Five patients consistently presented only partial seizures. The OGLST and UOA/PAA assays were useful for a more precise diagnosis of MD, although low positive predictive value of the OGLST was regrettable. No patient was classified as definite MD by Walker's original criteria, but the use of our revised MD criteria resulted in the classification of nine additional patients as definite MD. CONCLUSIONS: MD manifested considerable diverse epileptic phenotypes and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of epilepsy in children with unexplained encephalomyopathy and progressive and fluctuating clinical courses.