Cat-301 immunoreactivity in the lateral geniculate nucleus and visual cortex of the strabismic amblyopic cat

Purpose: It was investigated whether alterations in neuronal structure and function occasioned by strabismic amblyopia also may be reflected in alterations in the expression on Y type neurons of a Cat-301 antibody sensitive antigen in the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) and cortex of our cat model of strabismic amblyopia. Methods/Results: The percentage of positively labelled cells was reduced in LGN laminae that received input from the deviated eye in strabismic amblyopic cats compared with normal cats. In the strabismic cortex, the density of immunopositive neurons was significantly reduced compared with normal, the effect being most pronounced in layer IV Conclusions: Despite previous physiological recordings indicating a decrease in X-cell associated acuity in strabismic amblyopia, the present findings imply that the changes in the early visual experience occasioned by strabismus also produce specific molecular changes in theY neuronal class.     

Evacuation of hematomas using liposuction technology: Technique and literature review

Established nonexpanding hematomas can be successfully treated with minimal morbidity using standard liposucstion techniques at the bedside or in an outpatient setting under local anesthesia. The authors presents a series of eight patients and discuss current concepts of dealing with this common and distressing surgical complication.     

Zur Zulässigkeit des Verzichts auf Zuzahlungen durch eine Krankenkasse im Rahmen integrierter Versorgung

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Effects of communication content on speech behavior of depressives.

Depressed patients were interviewed at two different severity levels in the course of their illness about both problematic and neutral topics, and their speech behavior was analyzed in terms of speech activity and silences. Lowered speech activity and increased silences occurred at higher severity levels and also during problematic communication content, suggesting the mediation of cognitive factors as postulated by Beck's cognitive model of depression.     

Serum immunoreactive trypsin concentration after a Lundh meal. Its value in the diagnosis of pancreatic disease.

The changes in serum trypsin concentration have been measured in 47 subjects for up to 2 hours after a Lundh meal. In 18 healthy controls, mean fasting trypsin concentration was 285 +/- 125 ng/ml (mean +/- 2 SD). The maximum increase after the Lundh meal (the trypsin response ratio) was 6.7 +/- 7.5%. Six patients with chronic renal failure had elevated fasting serum trypsin concentrations (range 460-1100 ng/ml) but trypsin response ratios fell within the control range. Of five patients with relapsing pancreatitis, two had raised and three normal or low fasting trypsins. After stimulation two had elevated trypsin response ratios; one of the two had evidence of main duct obstruction. Eleven out of 12 patients with chronic pancreatitis (with or without insufficiency) had low fasting trypsin concentrations (range 0-120 ng/ml) Seven of the 12 also had raised trypsin response ratios. In six patients with cancer of the pancreas, fasting trypsin was low in three, normal in two, and raised in one. Both patients with a normal fasting level had a raised trypsin response ratio. The combination of a single estimation of fasting serum trypsin concentration followed by serial measurements after a Lundh meal provides a useful screening test for chronic pancreatic disease.     

Aboriginal status is a prognostic factor for mortality among antiretroviral naïve HIV-positive individuals first initiating HAART

Background  

Although the impact of Aboriginal status on HIV incidence, HIV disease progression, and access to treatment has been investigated previously, little is known about the relationship between Aboriginal ethnicity and outcomes associated with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). We undertook the present analysis to determine if Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal persons respond differently to HAART by measuring HIV plasma viral load response, CD4 cell response and time to all-cause mortality.     

A second locus (GLC3B) for primary congenital glaucoma (Buphthalmos) maps to the 1p36 region

Primary congenital glaucoma (gene symbol: GLC3) is an ocular disorder that occurs for 0.01-0.04% of blind people. In the majority of familial cases reported so far, this condition is inherited as an autosomal recessive trait. We have recently used a group of 17 GLC3 families with a minimum of two affected offspring and consanguinity in most of the parental generation and mapped the first GLC3 locus (GLC3A) to the 2p21 region. Six families did not show any linkage to the GLC3A locus and thus provided evidence for genetic heterogeneity of this disorder. A total of eight families unlinked to the 2p21 region were used to search for the chromosomal location of the second GLC3 locus. Herein, we describe mapping of a new locus (designated GLC3B) for primary congenital glaucoma to the short arm of chromosome 1 (1p36.2-36.1) that is situated centromeric to the neuroblastoma and Charcot-Marie-Tooth type 2A (CMT2A) loci. A total of 17 DNA markers were genotyped from this region of chromosome 1. Four families showed no recombination with the two markers D1S2834 and D1S402 with a maximum lod score of 4.510 and 4.157 respectively. Pairwise and multipoint linkage analysis and inspection of the haplotypes revealed that the remaining four families are not linked to this part of chromosome 1, thus providing further evidence that at least one more locus for the autosomal recessive form of GLC3 must exist in the genome. Based on the recombination events, the overall linkage map of this region is: tel-D1S1192-D1S1635-D1S1193 - (D1S1597/-D1S489/D1S228)- [GLC3B/D1S2834/D1S402] - (D1S1176/D1S507/D1S407) - D1S2728-(MFAP2/D1S170) - D1S1368 - D1S436- D1S1592-cen.      

Red cell alloimmunization in multitransfused HLA-typed patients

The authors studied retrospectively the formation of clinically significant red cell (RBC) alloantibodies in 958 HLA-typed, multiply transfused patients receiving kidney (603 patients) or liver (263 patients) transplants or plateletpheresis transfusions (92 patients). RBC alloantibodies were found in 91 (9.5%) of these patients and multiple antibodies in 35 (3.7%). Rh (D, C, c, and E) antibodies accounted for 49 percent of the total and Kell antibodies for 31 percent. Antibodies were found in 15 percent of apheresis recipients and in 8.6 percent of renal and 9.5 percent of liver transplantation patients. No association was found between any HLA-A, HLA-B, or HLA-DR phenotype and the presence of RBC alloantibodies, either in general or when analyzed according to the specific antibody. Renal transplant patients with RBC alloantibodies were somewhat more broadly HLA-alloimmunized than were those without RBC alloantibodies. Patient gender did not affect these results. The authors concluded that the immune response to RBC alloantigens is independent of HLA type but is associated with an increased level of HLA antibody formation.