Comparative permeability of human vaginal and buccal mucosa to water

BACKGROUND: De Vega type suturing dosage plasty is the intervention most widely used for relative insufficiency of the tricuspid valve (TV). In fact, this operation may be considered as an equivalent of prosthetic reconstruction of the fibrotic ring, shaping a fixed orifice for passage. Intrapulmonary pressure normalized as early as during the first months after surgery in patients with the mitral-tricuspid cardiac valvular disease. Under such conditions a rigid suture (prosthesis of the anulus) at the interface of the right atrium and ventricle is not physiological. METHODS: We used Maxon CV 2-0 (D+G) suture absorbable for 6 months. Xenopericardial pads were fixed at the edge of the suture. The pads were prepared by enzymatic and chemical processing. RESULTS: Operations were performed in 7 patients, the results were followed for up to 28 months. The size of the TV fibrotic ring was measured by transesophageal ultrasonography (Hewlett-Packard SONOS 1500; OMNIPLANE) on the operating table and for 2 years postoperation. No signs af tricuspid insufficiency were detected.     

Effects of xenotransplantation of pancreatic islet cells on immunological state of patients with diabetic angiopathies

The cell and humoral immunity state was studied up in 35 patients with diabetic angiopathy (insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus) before and 7 days, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months after the pancreatic islet cells (PIC) xenotransplantation conduction in newborn piglets. Stimulation or suppression of the recipient immune system were not observed. This is associated with the PIC immune modulation due to their cultivation. Transplantation of the newborn piglets PIC is a safe method concerning the recipient immune system state. The contents of antibodies to insulin do not change in term of observation up to one year after the PIC cultures xenotransplantation conduction.     

Magnetic hysteresis and domain states in Li1+ substituted Ni–Zn ferrites

Compositions of Ni_0.32Zn_0.68-2xLi_xFe_2+xO₄ with x=0.0, 0.025, 0.050, 0.075, 0.100, 0.125, 0.150, 0.175, 0.200 were prepared by oxalate precursors. The M_s–T curves resemble type R. The magnetic moment (n_B) values were found to increase with increase of Li¹⁺ content up to x=0.175, and thereafter it decreased. The former explained on the basis of the exchange interactions, whereas the decrease of n_B is related to the migration of Ni to tetrahedral (A) sites. There is a decrease in Yafet–Kittle (Y–K) angles at octahedral (B) sites, suggesting that lithium does not favor H_c canting. Actually, Li¹⁺ tends to reduce canting, resulting in the increase of n_B coercive force (H_c) and remanance ratio (R) variations have been related to increase of anisotropy constant (K_l) with increasing Li¹⁺ content. The values of R are comparable with the theoretical value, 0.87, which is probably due to the very high density of the samples. Thermal variations of H_c and R reveal that neither parameter changes rapidly with increasing temperature, indicating that the material contains multi-domain (MD) grains in predominance. These results are also supported by a.c. susceptibility studies. The values of wall susceptibility are higher than those of rotational susceptibility, suggesting that the susceptibility is contributed mainly by the domain wall motion.     

Intravenous immunoglobulin in combined therapy for children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (evaluation of therapeutical efficiency and factors that influence them)

Method of somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEP) was applied for examination of 36 patients in early restorative period of ischemic stroke located in internal capsule, in cortical-subcortical area of parieto-temporal cerebral regions or in cortical-subcortical areas of frontal areas. 15 healthy individuals formed a control group. Electrophysiologic SSEP pattern was not homogeneous and depended on the location of a damage focus in cerebral hemispheres. Peculiarities of generatory mechanisms of SSEP components' forming in ischemic stroke, are presented.     

Oestrogen-regulated genes in breast cancer: association of pLIV1 with response to endocrine therapy

Northern hybridization analyses of the oestrogen-inducible mRNAs pLIV1 and pS2 were compared with oestrogen receptor (ER) immunocytochemistry assessments in 40 untreated primary or early recurrent breast tumours. Significant associations were observed between pLIV1/ER (P < 0.03), pS2/ER (P < 0.001) and pLIV1/pS2 (P < 0.04) status. After disease recurrence, patients were treated with assessable courses of endocrine therapies. Positive pLIV1, pS2 and ER statuses in primary disease were consequently found to be predictive of endocrine responsiveness in the secondary lesions (P < 0.03, P < 0.02, P < 0.005 respectively). However, despite these associations, a number of pLIV1- and/or pS2-positive tumours failed to respond to therapy.     

Expression of vimentin and cytokeratin in eutopic and ectopic endometrium of women with adenomyosis and ovarian endometrioma

Tuberculosis is a continuous threat for health in all parts of the world. In industrialized centers an emerging increase of tuberculosis is observed due to low health standards, poor health education and control, increasing migration and the HIV epidemic. This should alert the pediatrician, since most tuberculosis infections in childhood start with contacts of infected adults with children. There is still a good response to most drugs against tuberculosis, but in some parts of the world the resistance to conventional treatment is an emerging problem. In general incidence, morbidity and mortality of tbc in children of the western world is low and has good prognosis. However, the diagnostic principles and the education of pediatricians for recognizing tbc is still of utmost importance.     

Phagocyte dysfunction in common variable immune deficiency

The history of a 13-year old boy is reported who suffered from frequent bacterial, enteroviral, and protozoal infections since late infancy. A decrease in the serum levels of IgG2, IgG3, IgA, a neutrophil dysfunction, and a partial cellular immune deficiency could be demonstrated. A deficiency of folic acid produced a pancytopenia which enhanced the patient's susceptibility to infections. The combined substitution of gammaglobulins and folic acid only was able to break this vicious cycle.