Eccrine syringofibroadenoma surrounding a squamous cell carcinoma: a case report

In adult mammals fever is associated with the reduction of blood plasma iron level. Immature mammals, however, show either a decrease (precocial animals such as guinea pig neonates) or a lack of reduction (altricial animals such as human neonates) of plasma iron in response to endotoxin. In order to determine whether this difference is connected with maturity just after delivery, plasma iron concentration, hematocrit, body temperature and body mass were measured in rat pups injected with E. coli endotoxin in doses of 50 or 200 micrograms kg-1. Rat pups, like human neonates, are altricial animals. In 7-day-old rats injection of LPS led to a dose-dependent decrease in plasma iron level. The fall in plasma iron was accompanied by changes in body temperature and body mass. The results showed that plasma iron response to endotoxin in altricial rat neonates is similar to that observed in precocial guinea pig pups.     

Bench-scale evaluations and mechanistic studies of intumescent/fire-protective coatings for polyvinyl chloride nitrile rubber

The object of this study was to identify, for future large-scale testing, and adequate fire-protective coating for the substrate, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) nitrile rubber (MIL-P-15280 Rev H). Fifteen fire protective coatings which included ten intumescent, two ablatives, two fire retardants and one photon diffusive coatings were evaluated using bench-scale thermal insults. To discern the possible mechanism(s) whereby the coatings offer fire protection, the effect of radiant heat versus the flame source employed was investigated and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) of the neat coatings was performed. In selected cases, the effect of coating thickness and repeatability of the results were evaluated. The differences in coating effectiveness, and the varied repeatability in three of the four cases examined, focus on the inherent complexity of intumescence, as well as on the importance of scaled-up testing of coatings that appeared promising. Thermogravimetric analyses of the coatings indicate that two selected TGA measurements/parameters, when used in conjunction, appear useful in characterizing mechanistic differences between the less effective and more effective coatings. Based on the rigorous criterion adopted, one candidate (a water-based intumescent coating at 100 mil (2.54 mm) thickness) appears promising for the substrate, PVC nitrile rubber. Its effectiveness is attributable to it exhibiting good insulative and re-radiative properties and an apparent low susceptibility to crack formation.     

Skin dose from radiotherapy X-ray beams: the influence of energy

OBJECTIVE: To report our clinical experience on the use of oral erythromycin for the treatment of severe gastrointestinal dysmotility in preterm infants. METHODOLOGY: A case series study of seven preterm infants (six were very low birthweight) with severe intestinal dysmotility in a tertiary neonatal centre. RESULTS: All responded favourably without adverse effects and tolerated full enteral feeding within 1-2 weeks of the commencement of the drug. CONCLUSIONS: As prolonged total parenteral nutrition carries significant risk of complications, this therapy could be considered in selected preterm infants who fail to establish enteral feeding after an extended period, and in whom an anatomically obstructive lesion of the gastrointestinal tract has been excluded. Meanwhile, we would caution against the widespread implementation of this therapeutic approach until formal evaluation by randomized controlled trials have established the exact role of erythromycin, or its analogues, in the treatment of intestinal dysmotility in preterm infants.     

Routine transition zone and seminal vesicle biopsies in all patients undergoing transrectal ultrasound guided prostate biopsies are not indicated

Metaphors to explain the effects of weak, complex magnetic fields upon the neuromatrices of organisms are suggested. The ratio of the amplitude of the time-varying components to steady-state components for complex magnetic field for effective biological responses may display Weber values that are similar to those for the electrical activity of the brain, the detection of changes in sound pressure by the ear and for more classical sensory thresholds. The nonlinear, suprathreshold characteristic of weak magnetic field effects would be similar to the effective narrow windows of concentrations of ligands values for receptor subtypes with different affinities. Signals composed of trains of between 100 and 1000 successive, fast (1 to 3 msec.) transients, which would contain the most biological information, would require low amplitudes to which the substrates could respond and with which the neuromatrix could resonate.     

Perforated cecal adenocarcinoma presenting as a thigh abscess

Complicated colorectal carcinoma has several symptoms, the most common being bleeding and obstruction. Occasionally it will cause perforation, which carries a worse prognosis. We report a case of perforated adenocarcinoma of the cecum that presented as an abscess of the thigh. We also present a review of the literature on this subject.     

Molecular dynamics of the anti-fluorescein 4-4-20 antigen-binding fragment. 2. Time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy

Time-resolved fluorescence experiments were performed to investigate the dynamic aspects of the antigen-binding fragment (Fab) of a high-affinity monoclonal antibody (4-4-20) which binds the fluorescent hapten fluorescein. Both the unliganded Fab and a complex of the Fab with a nonfluorescent analog of fluorescein (fluoresceinamine, FLM) were examined. A fluorescence polarization probe [5-[[2-[(iodoacetyl)amino]ethyl]amino]naphthalene-1-sulfonic acid, AEDANS] was covalently attached to the C-terminus of the Fab. Experiments were performed at three different temperatures (10, 25, and 35 degrees C), and phase-modulation data sets were collected for five different molar ratios of FLM to Fab at each temperature. Global analyses were then used to extract values for fluorescence lifetime and rotational correlation time from these data. In the lifetime analysis the best fit was obtained when the emission of AEDANS was described by a Lorentzian distribution of lifetimes (tau = 15.6 ns, distribution width = 3.4 ns, both at 25 degrees C), which suggested that the probe experienced a heterogeneous environment. Anisotropy analyses suggested that two different rotational components were present. The first was attributed to the global motion of the Fab and exhibited a rotational correlation time (theta 1) of ca. 33 ns at 25 degrees C. This component was relatively unaffected by antigen binding. The second rotational component was attributed to the local or segmental motion within the Fab and exhibited a rotational correlation time (theta 2) of 1.1 ns at 25 degrees C. This value increased by more than 50% upon antigen binding, a result which was consistent with molecular dynamics simulations of the same Fab--fluorescein system [Lim & Herron (1995) Biochemistry 34, 6962-6974]. Furthermore, statistical analysis showed that this increase was significant at the 95% confidence level.     

High stroke volume para-aortic counterpulsation device versus centrifugal pump in cardiogenic shock: experimental study

During the last decades a number of left ventricular assist devices has been used especially for patients resistant to pharmacologic treatment and to intraaortic balloon pump (IABP) support for left ventricular failure. A high stroke volume para-aortic counterpulsation device (PACD) has been developed utilizing the principle of the diastolic counterpulsation technique. In this study the hemodynamic effects of the valveless PACD were compared to those of the centrifugal blood pump (CBP) in nine dogs in acute experimental cardiogenic shock. Hemodynamic measurements were obtained at baseline with both devices off, PACD on and CBP off, or PACD off and CBP on. There was no difference in mean aortic pressure between PACD on (60.0 +/- 11.5 mmHg) and CBP on (69.0 +/- 26.8 mmHg). Similarly, there was no difference in left ventricular end-diastolic pressure with the PACD on (11.9 +/- 5.4 mmHg) versus the CBP on (9.9 +/- 5.2 mmHg) or the cardiac index with the PACD on (84 +/- 36 ml/kg/min) versus the CBP on (77 +/- 36 ml/kg/min). However, the left ventricular systolic pressure (55.0 +/- 19.0 with PACD versus 73.0 +/- 26.0 with CBP,p < 0.001), the tension time index (712 +/- 381 versus 1333 +/- 694,p < 0.01), and the double product (5629 +/- 2574 versus 7440 +/- 3294,p < 0.01) were significantly lower during assistance with the PACD than with the CBP. It was concluded that PACD is at least as effective as CBP for restoring hemodynamic status during acute experimental cardiogenic shock. Moreover, the PACD unloads the left ventricle more effectively than CBP, making it suitable for left ventricular mechanical support in cases with reversible myocardial damage.