Aerobiological and allergenic analysis of cupressaceae pollen in Granada (Southern Spain).

Cupressaceae pollen has been cited in recent years as one of the major airborne allergens of the Mediterranean region, prompting us to conduct an exhaustive analysis on the aerobiological behaviour of this pollen in the Iberian Peninsula and the repercussion that it has had on the atopic population. The aerobiological study, performed from 1996 to 2003 in the city of Granada (S. Spain), used a volumetric Hirst collector. The results indicate that this pollen is present in the air most of the year, registering a high incidence during the winter months. This type of pollen behaved irregularly in the air, fluctuating yearly, seasonally, and within the same day. Temperature and humidity were the parameters that most directly influence the variability of this allergen, while rainfall prior to flowering increased pollen production. The predictive models used estimated a high percentage of the levels reached over the short term by this pollen in the atmosphere of Granada. The clinical study performed with atopic patients showed that some 30% of the population with pollinosis are sensitive to Cupressaceae pollen, affecting people of both genders equally. On the other hand, the most sensitive age group was 21-40 years of age, while children and the elderly registered almost negligible values. Most of the sensitive subjects resided within the city or in the metropolitan area, where environmental pollution reached high levels, while the pathology was found to be less frequent in rural zones. The most frequent symptoms were upper-respiratory ailments and an asthmatic profile.     

Natural history and treatment of anorectal strictures complicating Crohn's disease

Forty-four patients seen between 1975 and 1985 with anorectal strictures complicating Crohn's disease have been reviewed to determine the natural history and outcome of surgical treatment. Proctitis was present in 98 per cent, and 93 per cent of patients had sever perianal disease. The site of strictures was rectal in 22, anal in 15 and anorectal in 11 (4 patients had a stricture at 2 sites). Initial treatment was by rectal excision alone in 6, dilatation in 33, and 5 needed no treatment at all. Single dilatation was effective in 15, 8 required two dilatations and in 10 repeated dilatation was necessary. Proctocolectomy was eventually required in 19 patients, 2 have a loop ileostomy and 1 has an ileostomy with a rectal stump in situ. Only 21 remain asymptomatic while 3 continue to need dilatation. Perineal wound healing was delayed in 9 of 19 patients having a proctocolectomy and in 3 the perineal wound has never healed.     

Protective effects of aspirin against acute myocardial infarction and death in men with unstable angina. Results of a Veterans Administration Cooperative Study

We conducted a multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized trial of aspirin treatment (324 mg in buffered solution daily) for 12 weeks in 1266 men with unstable angina (625 taking aspirin and 641 placebo). The principal end points were death and acute myocardial infarction diagnosed by the presence of creatine kinase MB or pathologic Q-wave changes on electrocardiograms. The incidence of death or acute myocardial infarction was 51 per cent lower in the aspirin group than in the placebo group: 31 patients (5.0 per cent) as compared with 65 (10.1 per cent); P = 0.0005. Nonfatal acute myocardial infarction was 51 per cent lower in the aspirin group: 21 patients (3.4 per cent) as compared with 44 (6.9 per cent); P = 0.005. The reduction in mortality in the aspirin group was also 51 per cent--10 patients (1.6 per cent) as compared with 21 (3.3 per cent)--although it was not statistically significant; P = 0.054. There was no difference in gastrointestinal symptoms or evidence of blood loss between the treatment and control groups. Our data show that aspirin has a protective effect against acute myocardial infarction in men with unstable angina, and they suggest a similar effect on mortality.     

A Computer Reconstruction of the Entire Coronary Arterial Tree Based on Detailed Morphometric Data

A rigorous analysis of blood flow must be based on the branching pattern and vascular geometry of the full vascular circuit of interest. It is experimentally difficult to reconstruct the entire vascular circuit of any organ because of the enormity of the vessels. The objective of the present study was to develop a novel method for the reconstruction of the full coronary vascular tree from partial measurements. Our method includes the use of data on those parts of the tree that are measured to extrapolate the data on those parts that are missing. Specifically, a two-step approach was employed in the reconstruction of the entire coronary arterial tree down to the capillary level. Vessels > 40 μm were reconstructed from cast data while vessels < 40 μm were reconstructed from histological data. The cast data were reconstructed one-bifurcation at a time while histological data were reconstructed one-sub-tree at a time by “cutting” and “pasting” of data from measured to missing vessels. The reconstruction algorithm yielded a full arterial tree down to the first capillary bifurcation with 1.9, 2.04 and 1.15 million vessel segments for the right coronary artery (RCA), left anterior descending (LAD) and left circumflex (LCx) trees, respectively. The node-to-node connectivity along with the diameter and length of every vessel segment was determined. Once the full tree was reconstructed, we automated the assignment of order numbers, according to the diameter-defined Strahler system, to every vessel segment in the tree. Consequently, the diameters, lengths, number of vessels, segments-per-element ratio, connectivity and longitudinal matrices were determined for every order number. The present model establishes a morphological foundation for future analysis of blood flow in the coronary circulation.     

Corticosteroids Modulate Angiogenic Soluble Factors in Ulcerative Colitis Patients

Aims  

The aim of this study was to compare angiogenic factors in serum levels of active ulcerative colitis (UC) patients and in healthy controls, and to analyze these angiogenic levels depending on the achievement of remission after oral corticosteroid treatment throughout treatment, and according to the Truelove–Witts activity index.