Comparative in vitro activity of -ofloxacin and FK037 to other agents against 10,040 fresh clinical isolates

Fresh clinical isolates collected from November 1, 1992 through November 1, 1993, were tested by agar dilution against 26 different antimicrobial agents including FK037 and -ofloxacin. Among the 10 040 organisms tested were Staphylococcus aureus (n = 1222), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA, n = 455), Staphylococcus epidermidis (n = 533), Staphylococcus hominis (n = 90), Staphylococcus hemolyticus (n = 89), Streptococcus pneumoniae (n = 144), Escherichia coli (n = 2326), Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 745), Enterobacter cloacae (n = 258), Proteus mirabilis (n = 445), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n = 998), and Stenotrophomonas (Xanthomonas) maltophilia (n = 102). Both -ofloxacin and FK037 inhibited 98% of S. aureus strains at 4 μg/ml. FK037 was at least 4 times more effective than the third generation cephalosporins against MRSA, inhibiting 79% of the strains at 16 μg/ml. While the potency of these agents looks promising, their clinical utility will depend in part upon the maximal dosage that can be safely administered.     

Differentiation of substantia gelatinosa-like regions in intraspinal and intracerebral transplants of embryonic spinal cord tissue in the rat

The differentiation of intracerebral and intraspinal transplants of fetal (E14-E15) rat spinal cord was studied to determine the extent to which myelin-free zones in these embryonic grafts exhibit cytological features and immunocytochemical characteristics of the substantia gelatinosa (SG) of the normal spinal cord. Immunocytochemical staining with antiserum to myelin basic protein (MBP) revealed myelin-free areas of varying proportions within fetal spinal cord grafts. These regions were identified in both newborn and adult recipients regardless of whether donor tissue was grafted to heterotopic (intracerebral) or homotopic (intraspinal) sites. As in the SG of the intact spinal cord, the myelin-free regions consisted mainly of small (7-15 microns) diameter neurons. At the ultrastructural level, these cells were surrounded by a neuropil composed of numerous small caliber, unmyelinated axons and intermediate-sized dendrites. Synaptic terminals in these areas were primarily characterized by the presence of clear, round vesicles, although granular vesicles were occasionally found within these terminals. Immunocytochemical staining demonstrated met- and leu-enkephalin-, neurotensin-, substance P-, and somatostatin-like immunoreactive elements within these myelin-free areas. Thus, regions within embryonic spinal cord grafts undergo some topographical differentiation which parallels that of the normal superficial dorsal horn. The presence of SG-like regions illustrates the potential capacity of fetal spinal cord transplants for replacing some intraspinal neuronal populations at the site of a spinal cord injury in neonatal and adult animals. These graft regions may serve as a source of intersegmental projection neurons or establish an extensive intrinsic circuitry similar to that seen in the normal SG. In addition, the definition of these areas provides a useful model to study the innervation patterns of host axons that typically project to the substantia gelatinosa of the normal spinal cord.     

Custom-fabricated masks for aeromechanical measures

A technique is described for the construction of custom fabricated face masks designed for use in aeromechanical studies of individuals with speech disorders, such as those associated with craniofacial defects. The wax-elimination method of mask fabrication described herein is similar to routine dental laboratory procedures. Materials employed are heat-cured acrylic resin for the body of the mask and heat-cured resilient liner for the tissue contacting surface of the mask.     

Therapy selection in an expert medical consultation system for ocular herpes simplex

This paper describes a general scheme for selecting therapies which can be used in expert medical consultation systems. The scheme consists of a topological sorting procedure within a general production rule representation. The procedure is used to choose among competing therapies on the basis of precedence rules. This approach provides a natural way in which therapy choices can be automatically explained. The precedence rule has the capability to summarize a great many facts elegantly and to insure that the conclusions reached will be mutually exclusive. Precedence rules are computationally more efficient in both storage and time than an equivalent set of production rules. As the number of competing therapies increases this computational advantage increases. An expert consultation system for diagnosis and therapy planning of ocular herpes simplex has been implemented using this approach and examples of the system's output on actual cases of this disease are given.     

The prevalence of mitral valve prolapse in patients with Down's syndrome: implications for dental management

Eighty-three noninstitutionalized patients with Down's syndrome, aged 9 to 55 years, were randomly selected to receive echocardiograms. Forty-one patients had echocardiographic findings indicative of mitral valve prolapse, and 15 of these patients lacked associated auscultatory findings. Because mitral valve prolapse can predispose patients to bacterial endocarditis after bacteremia-producing dental procedures, these findings suggest that if auscultatory findings alone are used, a significant number of patients with Down's syndrome who are at risk for endocarditis may not be currently identified in the course of routine clinical practice.