Use of the ganciclovir implant for treating cytomegalovirus retinitis secondary to immunosuppression after bone marrow transplantation

PURPOSE: To report a case of Purtscher-like retinopathy after administration of retrobulbar anesthesia for an otherwise uncomplicated cataract extraction. METHOD: Case report. RESULTS: After cataract surgery with retrobulbar anesthesia, the patient followed a typical course of Purtscher-like retinopathy with an initial severe loss of vision followed by a gradual and nearly complete improvement in visual function. CONCLUSIONS: Purtscher-like retinopathy is uncommon after administration of retrobulbar anesthesia but had the same clinical course as other causes of this disorder.     

Self monitoring of blood glucose in blind diabetic patients

Blind diabetic patients face particular difficulties in blood glucose self monitoring (BGSM). We investigated the quality of BGSM in blind and severely visually impaired diabetic patients and assessed the effects of training in BGSM using a blood glucose meter with voice edition of values and a modified test strip holder for easier placement of blood samples on the strip (One Touch II talk (OT II)). Twenty-six insulin-treated diabetic patients (23 IDDM and 3 NIDDM) participated. At baseline the quality of BGSM was checked in 14 patients who already regularly performed BGSM without external help. Thereafter all 26 patients received an extensive instruction in BGSM for blind patients. At re-examination, after a mean period of 41 days, the quality of BGSM performed by the patients without assistance was checked in three different blood samples. Blood glucose was measured in the same sample by a routine laboratory method. At baseline the mean absolute difference between BGSM and the reference method was -0.3 mmol l(-1) (range; +/- SD) (-7.7-4.8; +/- 2.6 mmol l(-1)); 74% of BGSM measurements deviated by more than 10% from the reference values and 43% by more than 20%. At follow-up all 26 patients reported daily BGSM without external help. The mean absolute difference between BGSM and the reference method was -0.1 (-2.7-2.8; +/- 0.9 mmol l(-1)); 25% of BGSM measurements deviated by more than 10 % from the laboratory reference values and 5% by more than 20%. The results of this study suggest that a substantial number of blind diabetic patients do not perform BGSM on their own at all and in those who do the reliability of the results is poor. However, after extensive instruction, the majority of blind diabetic patients should be able to perform BGSM and to obtain reliable results.     

Error estimates for results of nonstationary noise analysis derived with linear least squares methods

Nonstationary noise analysis of electrophysiological data is applied to the estimation of the single-channel current, i, and the number of active channels, N(C), whenever they cannot be determined directly due to limited resolution. Using least squares methods, the accuracy of estimating i and N(C) chiefly depends on the statistical error of the ensemble variance. It is shown that if the correlation among the binned data points is taken into account correctly, the variability of i and N(C) can be remarkably reduced and exact confidence limits of the parameters can be calculated. Least-squares methods are introduced which consider the measured error-covariance matrix of the binned variance in a model-independent fashion. Employing Monte Carlo methods, it is demonstrated that both the error predictions and the confidence limits are correct. The method is used to investigate the performance of nonstationary noise analysis at low channel open-probabilities. The application of the approach to simulated data as well as to experimental, i.e. non-ideal, data is discussed.     

Interpretation of lifetime and defect spectroscopy measurements by generalized rate equations

We introduce a new approach for modeling the dynamics of charge carrier interactions with defects in semiconductors starting from nearly first principles. A system of generalized rate equations was developed whose numerical solutions account for many details of experimental results also in the case of complex defect models. The theoretical model is neither restricted by the number nor by the type of defects under consideration. Details of simulations are presented for different experimental results. The influence of traps on lifetime measurements with different experimental methods is analyzed in detail and the Application to determine iron concentrations from lifetime measurements are shown.     

Nitric oxide-dependent and -independent hyperaemia due to calcitonin gene-related peptide in the rat stomach

1. Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) potently enhances mucosal blood flow in the rat stomach. The aim of this study was to examine whether CGRP also dilates extramural arteries supplying the stomach and whether the vasodilator action of CGRP involves nitric oxide (NO). 2. Rat CGRP-alpha (0.03-1 nmol kg-1, i.v.) produced a dose-dependent increase in blood flow through the left gastric artery (LGA) as determined by an ultrasonic transit time technique in urethane-anaesthetized rats. Blockade of NO synthesis by NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 20 and 60 mumol kg-1, i.v.) significantly reduced basal blood flow (BF) in the LGA and attenuated the hyperaemic activity of CGRP by a factor of 2.8-4. D-NAME tended to enhance basal BF in the LGA but had no influence on the dilator activity of CGRP. The ability of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide to increase left gastric arterial blood flow remained unaltered by L-NAME. 3. L-NAME (20 and 60 mumol kg-1, i.v.) evoked a prompt and sustained rise of mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) and caused a slight decrease in the hypotensive activity of CGRP. In contrast, D-NAME induced a delayed and moderate increase in MAP and did not influence the hypotensive activity of CGRP. 4. Rat CGRP-alpha dilated the isolated perfused bed of the rat LGA precontracted with methoxamine and was 3 times more potent in this respect than rat CGRP-beta. The dilator action of rat CGRP-alpha in this preparation was not affected by L-NAME or D-NAME (40 microM). 5. L-NAME (60 micromol kg-1, i.v.) reduced gastric mucosal blood flow as assessed by laser Doppler flowmetry and diminished the hyperaemic activity of rat CGRP-alpha in the gastric mucosa by a factor of 4.5, whereas D-NAME was without effect.6. These data show that CGRP is a potent dilator of mucosal and extramural resistance vessels in the rat stomach. Its dilator action involves both NO-dependent and NO-independent mechanisms.     

Prevention of acute allograft rejection by antibody targeting of TIRC7, a novel T cell membrane protein

The in vitro activity of trovafloxacin, a new fluoroquinolone, was compared with that of ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, fleroxacin, ceftazidime, piperacillin/tazobactam, and meropenem against 613 consecutively recovered blood isolates from recently hospitalized patients. Susceptibility testing was performed by agar dilution according to NCCLS guidelines. Test strains included Acinetobacter species (n = 26), Escherichia coli (n = 137), Enterobacter species (n = 27), Klebsiella species (n = 42), Proteus species (n = 16), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n = 28), Serratia marcescens (n = 13), Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (n = 7), enterococci (n = 54), coagulase-negative staphylococci (n = 38), Staphylococcus aureus (n = 137), Streptococcus pneumoniae (n = 27), beta-haemolytic streptococci (n = 13), and viridans group streptococci (n = 48). The overall respective MICs at which 50% and 90% of isolates were inhibited (MIC50s and MIC90s) were as follows: trovafloxacin, 0.06 and 1 mg/l; ciprofloxacin, 0.25 and 4 mg/l; ofloxacin, 0.5 and 4 mg/l; fleroxacin, 0.5 and 16 mg/l; ceftazidime, 2 and 128 mg/l; piperacillin/tazobactam, 2 and 8 mg/l; meropenem, 0.06 and 4 mg/l. For the quinolones, the rank order of activity against gram-negative microorganisms was ciprofloxacin > trovafloxacin > ofloxacin = fleroxacin, against gram-positive organisms, trovafloxacin > ciprofloxacin = ofloxacin > fleroxacin. Data obtained showed the similar activity of trovafloxacin and ciprofloxacin against gram-negative pathogens and the superior activity of trovafloxacin against gram-positive bacteria thus making it a potential candidate for the empiric treatment of patients with suspected bacteremia and sepsis.     

Type A factors as predictors of changes in the metabolic syndrome precursors in adolescents and young adults: A 3-year follow-up study.

The predictive associations of Type A factors with changes in some essential parameters of the cluster of disorders known as metabolic syndrome (Syndrome X) were studied during a 3-year follow-up period in 1,147 randomly selected healthy adolescents and young adults. Type A behavior was measured with the Hunter Wolf A-B Rating Scale. Physiological parameters studied were serum insulin, high-density and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides (TG), systolic and diastolic blood pressure, body-mass index (BMI), subscapular skinfold thickness (SSF), and centrality index. Among the Type A factors in boys and men, high baseline Aggression predicted an increase in the individual parameters of metabolic syndrome (i.e., insulin, TG, SSF, and BMI) as well as a global aggravation of the cluster of metabolic parameters. In girls and women, increases in Eagerness-Energy and Responsibility across the 3 years of follow-up predicted an increase in serum insulin and a decrease in SSF, respectively (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)