Completeness and timeliness of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis,measles-mumps-rubella,and polio vaccines in young children with chronic health conditions: A systematic review

Objective

To systematically review literature on uptake and timeliness of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis, measles-mumps-rubella, and/or polio-containing vaccines in infants who were born preterm, with a low birth weight, and/or with chronic health conditions that were diagnosed within the first 6?months of life.

Management und Kontrolle einer Influenzapandemie Konzeptionelle Überlegungen für einen deutschen Influenzapandemieplan

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the majority of the influenza experts assume that an influenza pandemic might reemerge again at any time. Therefore WHO has called upon all member states to set up a national pandemic preparedness plan. For Germany such a plan is long overdue. In order to gain as much time as possible early identification of the pandemic virus is of highest priority. Furthermore progression of a pandemic is influenced by the time needed to develop a subtype specific vaccine as well as by the vaccines availability. However, in case of a pandemic a shortage of vaccines and prophylactic pharmaceuticals cannot be avoided. Therefore, decisions have to be made in order to establish priorities concerning the vaccination and the prophylactic and/or therapeutic antimicrobial treatment of selected sub-populations. There is also a need to lay down measures ensuring the distribution of vaccines and antiviral drugs, adequate health care and ambulance service, and the organization of dignified funerals of the deceased. It is also necessary to enter into an early agreement with vaccine manufacturers on a guaranteed supply of respective batches of vaccine doses. In addition procedures should be established to allow an increase in vaccine production in case of a pandemic. There is also a need for early agreements with the manufacturers of antiviral agents and for a decision concerning the establishment of a national stockpile to guarantee an adequate supply. Some measures must already be taken in the inter-pandemic period. Those are: enhancement of surveillance and research, development of new vaccines and new methods of vaccine production, licensing of new vaccines in case of a pandemic and establishment of a national influenza committee. Problems like the effectiveness of antiepidemic measures, such as immigration control and the closing of schools, must be solved in advance of a pandemic.     

环孢菌素A阻断人HL－60抗药性细胞于G_1期而诱导敏感细胞凋亡

进一步研究了抗三尖杉酯碱的ＨＬ－６０细胞（ＨＲ２０）抗细胞凋亡的机制及该抗性和抗药性的关系。结果表明，环孢菌素Ａ（ＣｓＡ）２０，１０μｇ·ｍｌ￣（－１）诱导ＨＬ－６０细胞发生凋亡，而阻断ＨＲ２０细胞于Ｇ＿１期，就不能诱导细胞发生凋亡。低浓度的ＣｓＡ明显增加柔红霉素在ＨＲ２０细胞内的积聚，其逆转抗药性作用与阻断细胞周期运行无关。ＣｓＡ１０μｇ·ｍｌ￣（－１）处理ＨＲ２０细胞，可引起５０ｋＤａ的蛋白质高度磷酸化。结果提示：环孢菌素Ａ阻断抗三尖杉酯碱的ＨＬ－６０细胞于Ｇ＿１期，而诱导敏感的ＨＬ－６０细胞发生凋亡，其阻断作用与抗药性无关     

High-throughput detection of pathogenic yeasts of the genus trichosporon

The need for a rapid and accurate method for the detection of fungal pathogens has become imperative as the incidence of fungal infections has increased dramatically. Herein, we tested the Luminex 100, a novel flow cytometer, for the detection of the medically important genus Trichosporon. This genus was selected as our proof-of-concept model due to the close phylogenetic relationship between the species. The method, which is based on a nucleotide hybridization assay, consists of a combination of different sets of fluorescent beads covalently bound to species-specific capture probes. Upon hybridization, the beads bearing the target amplicons are classified by their spectral addresses with a 635-nm laser. Quantitation of the hybridized biotinylated amplicon is based on fluorescence detection with a 532-nm laser. We tested in various multiplex formats 48 species-specific and group-specific capture probes designed in the D1/D2 region of ribosomal DNA, internal transcribed spacer regions, and intergenic spacer region. Species-specific biotinylated amplicons were generated with three sets of primers to yield fragments from the three regions. The assay was specific and fast, as it discriminated species differing by 1 nucleotide and required less than 50 min following amplification to process a 96-well plate. The sensitivity of the assay allowed the detection of 10(2) genome molecules in PCRs and 10(7) to 10(8) molecules of biotinylated amplification product. This technology provided a rapid means of detection of Trichosporon species with the flexibility to identify species in a multiplex format by combining different sets of beads.     

Microsurgical anatomy of VII and VIII cranial nerves and related arteries in the cerebellopontine angle

Summary The relationships of VII and VIII cranial nerves and related arteries are reviewed in 26 preparations by microdissection techniques. These vessels may be grouped in large (AICA, PICA), medium (LA, SA, CSA, RPI) and small calibre (vasa nervorum, radicullar and medullar branches). The importance of these structures in acoustic neuroma surgery, vestibular neurectomy and cross-compression syndromes is discussed. Vascular loops and elongated arteries are normal structures present at birth.This work was supported by a grant from the AJ Roemmers Foundation     

Differential pattern of DNA-aneuploidy in human malignancies

The differential pattern of DNA-aneuploidy, detected by flow cytometry (FCM) regarding its frequency, grade and multiclonality, was investigated and correlated to tumor type, malignancy grade, tumor stage and prognosis in a multi-institutional study at the University of Münster. High resolution measurements using admixed normal blood reference cells were undertaken in 2413 cases of 13 different malignant diseases and in 776 benign lesions or samples. The incidence of DNA-aneuploidy was highest in melanomas, carcinomas, testicular tumors, sarcomas (75%-95%) and myelomas (65%). Acute leukemias showed an intermediate DNA-aneuploidy rate of 40% with special subgroups represented by common ALL (44%), p less than 0.05) and myelomonocytic/monocytic AML (47%, p less than 0.01). The lowest DNA-aneuploidy-rate was found in basal cell skin carcinomas (19%) and congenital melanocytic nevi (9%). No case of DNA-aneuploidy was observed in the 776 benign lesions or samples.--DNA-indices giving the grade of DNA-aneuploidy with 1.0 for normal diploid G1/0 cells were found distributed predominantly between 1.0 and 2.0 in the solid tumors, except testicular tumors, clustering around a triploid maximum at 1.5. DNA-indices of myelomas and acute leukemias generally ranged below 1.25 with lower DNA-aneuploidy grades in AML than in ALL (p less than 0.01).--In melanomas the aneuploidy rate was higher (86%) in metastases than in the primary tumors (54%, p = 0.001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Adaptive responses of rats to prolonged treatment with epinephrine

Rats were given a daily injection of L-epinephrine, 100 micrograms/100 g body wt, for 6 wk. The hearts of the epinephrine-treated animals were heavier (11.5%), and blood glucose and plasma insulin concentrations were lower than those of control rats. Acute responses to epinephrine were compared in the two groups. An increase in blood glucose and decreases in plasma insulin, liver glycogen, and muscle glycogen occurred in both groups. The magnitude of these responses were similar in the two groups except for the decrease in muscle glycogen, which was smaller in the chronic epinephrine-treatment group. There were no changes in respiratory capacity, citrate synthase or succinate dehydrogenase activities, or in cytochrome c concentration in skeletal muscle in response to 6 wk of epinephrine treatment. These results are compatible with the suggestion that catecholamines may play a role in some of the metabolic and cardiac adaptations to exercise training. However, they argue strongly against the hypothesis that catecholamines are responsible for inducing the increase in muscle mitochondria that occurs in response to exercise training.     

Kidney lesions in copper-deficient rats

Rats fed a diet deficient in copper were found, in comparison to control rats, to have lesions in the cortex, medulla and papilla of the kidney. Within the cortex, the lesions consisted of mild atrophy of the convoluted tubules, thickening of their basement membranes and fragmentation of the reticulin framework. In the medulla and papilla, selected zones of the loop of Henle were disorganized, with their epithelia appearing atrophied and their basement membranes fragmented and irregular. The epithelial cells of the collecting tubules were atrophied and vacuolated and their basement membranes thickened. Throughout the kidney, blood vessels were distented and engorged with large numbers of erythrocytes. The most likely explanation for these lesions is vascular underperfusion which could be due to a primary effect of copper deficiency on the kidney or could be secondary to the other cardiovascular lesions that are known to occur in copper deficiency.     

Periodic limb movements in sleep in community-dwelling elderly.

The prevalence of periodic limb movements in sleep (PLMS) in a randomly selected elderly sample is reported. In San Diego, 427 elderly volunteers aged 65 yr and over were recorded in their homes. Forty-five percent had a myoclonus index, MI greater than or equal to 5. Correlates of PLMS included dissatisfaction with sleep, sleeping alone and reported kicking at night. Although statistically significant, the strengths of the associations between interview variables and myoclonus indices were all small. No combination of demographic variables and symptoms allowed highly reliable prediction of PLMS.