The Impact of a Healthy Weight Intervention Embedded in a Home-Visiting Program on Children's Weight and Mothers’ Feeding Practices

Objective

To examine whether a healthy weight intervention embedded in the Parents as Teachers (PAT) home visiting program, which was previously found to improve mothers’ body mass index (BMI) and obesity-related behaviors, changed the BMI of preschool children or maternal feeding practices.

The effect of milk and casein proteins on the adherence of Streptococcus mutans to saliva-coated hydroxyapatite

Experiments sought to determine the nature of the binding of milk proteins to hydroxyapatite (HA) and to saliva-coated hydroxyapatite (sHA), and to determine the effect of milk and casein on the adherence of Streptococcus mutans GS-5 to sHA. The binding of radiolabelled -casein to HA was reduced when incubated simultaneously with parotid saliva, and enhanced in the presence of milk. The binding of β- and κ-casein to HA was unaffected by the presence of parotid saliva and enhanced by the presence of milk. The in vitro bacterial adherence of Strep. mutans GS-5 to sHA beads was reduced when beads were coated with milk instead of buffer, or when bacteria were added to sHA in the presence of milk instead of buffer. Casein proteins (, β, κ) added to sHA simultaneously with bacteria inhibited the adherence of Strep. mutans GS-5 to sHA. κ-Casein, when bound to sHA, inhibited streptococcal adherence to sHA; - and β-casein, when bound to sHA, had no effect on streptococcal adherence. Fractionation of κ-casein by anion-exchange chromatography revealed the anti-adherence activity of κ-casein was mediated primarily by a 40,000 mol. wt. glycoprotein-containing fraction. These data show that milk, particularly κ-casein fractions, can modulate the adherence of Strep. mutans GS-5 to SHA surfaces in vitro.     

Clinical, electrophysiological and magnetic resonance imaging findings in carpal tunnel syndrome

OBJECTIVE: To assess magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and to compare them with electrophysiological findings. METHODS: Routine motor and sensory nerve conduction examinations and needle EMG were performed in 42 hands of 22 patients, who were clinically diagnosed as having CTS in at least one wrist. RESULTS: Of 29 wrists with clinically and electrophysiologically confirmed CTS, MRI could detect abnormality in 18 wrists (62%). Median nerve was found to be abnormal in MRI in 1 of 2 wrists with suspected clinical symptoms and proven CTS by electrophysiological examination. MRI was abnormal in 1 of 4 wrists with normal clinical and electrophysiological examination. MRI was abnormal in 46, 7% of wrists with mild CTS, in 61.6% of moderate CTS and in 100% of severe CTS. Volar bulging of the flexor retinaculum was detected in a single wrist with severe CTS. Enlargement of median nerve was observed in 3 of 5 severe CTS. CONCLUSION: MRI could be useful in the diagnosis of unproven cases in CTS. It also provides anatomical information that correlate well with electrophysiological findings in regard of the severity of median nerve compression.     

Laboratory strategies for efficient handling of paraffin-embedded tissues for molecular detection of clonality in non-hodgkin lymphomas.

We herein present a technical strategy to optimize DNA isolation from paraffin-embedded tissue (PET). This includes the choice of adequate buffers for proteinase K digestion and multiplex PCR amplifications for assessing the appropriateness of DNA extracts for subsequent PCR assays for detecting clonality. We found that the association of proteinase K digestion in nonionic buffer and subsequent extract dilutions accounted for 79% of successful amplifications. A final efficiency of 88% was achieved by additional organic extractions and/or re-extractions. Comparisons were carried out with control DNA extracts from fresh samples to assess the efficiency of each clonality assay. Immunoglobulin CDRIII rearranged region amplification was more efficient for pregerminal center B-cell lymphomas in contrast to CDRII rearrangement detection, which was more effective for germinal and postgerminal lymphomas. T-cell clonality detection by TCRgamma PCR was less efficient in PET samples than in fresh tissues showing that DNA integrity is more critical for TCR than for IGH amplification. Two inconclusive cases without phenotypic markers and two other atypical lymphoproliferations masked by reactive T cells were diagnosed as plasmablastic lymphomas and as monoclonal B-proliferations, respectively, due to IGH rearrangements.     

Chronic hepatitis C responds poorly to combination therapy in chronic hepatis B carriers

BACKGROUND: The effect of conventional interferon-based therapy of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) dual infection is controversial. Yet, no studies have been carried out into pegylated interferon treatment for chronic HBV/HCV coinfection. We aimed to evaluate the response rate and side effects of conventional or pegylated interferon combined with ribavirin on chronic HBV/HCV coinfection therapy. METHODS: The study included 36 chronic hepatitis patients (M/F: 28/8, mean age 47+/-12 years) who were positive for HBsAg and anti-HCV. They were tested for the presence of HBV-DNA by hybridisation assay, and the samples giving negative results were retested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). All patients were tested for HCV-RNA using PCR, and the HCV genotype was determined. RESULTS: Nineteen patients were given standard interferon either alone or in combination with ribavirin, whereas 17 were given pegylated interferon and ribavirin combination therapy. None of the patients had HBV-DNA positivity; however, all had HCV-RNA detectable by PCR. All the patients had HCV genotype 1b. The mean alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase levels were 118+/-65 U/l and 90+/-95 U/l respectively. Five patients in each group discontinued the treatment due to side effects. Only two patients (one from each group) reached sustained virological response. CONCLUSION: Neither pegylated nor conventional interferon based regimes were effective for HBV/HCV coinfection, in which the dominant virus was HCV. Pegylated interferon and ribavirin therapy was not superior to conventional interferon based regimes in the treatment of HBV/HCV coinfection.     

Intravenous immunoglobulin treatment for acute fulminant inflammatory cardiomyopathy: series of six patients and review of literature

BACKGROUND:

Although an autoimmune mechanism has been postulated for myocarditis and acute-onset inflammatory dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), immunomodulatory treatment strategies are still under investigation.

METHODS AND RESULTS:

The clinical data of six patients with acute inflammatory DCM referred for evaluation for possible heart transplantation were reviewed. All patients were admitted with acute congestive heart failure and severely impaired left ventricular (LV) function and were treated with high-dose (2 g/kg) intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG). The diagnosis of acute inflammatory DCM was based on recent onset of congestive heart failure (New York Heart Association functional class III or IV) with severely depressed LV ejection fraction ([LVEF] 30% or lower) occurring shortly after viral-like illness. All patients had inflammation on endomyocardial biopsy or elevated cardiac enzymes, as well as a normal coronary angiogram. All patients were in New York Heart Association class I or II at the time of hospital discharge. The mean LVEF improved from 21.7±7.5% at baseline to 50.3±8.6% at discharge (P=0.005). Four patients had complete recovery (LVEF 50% or higher) and two patients had partial LV recovery. Patients were followed for a median 13.2 months (range two to 24 months) and had a mean LVEF of 53±6% (P not significant versus LVEF at discharge).

CONCLUSIONS:

Therapy with intravenous high-dose IVIG may be a potentially useful treatment in selected patients if given early in the course of acute fulminant inflammatory DCM. A randomized, prospective trial is warranted to prove the real benefit of IVIG in this patient population.