Ross River virus in mosquitoes (Diptera:Culicidae) during the 1994 epidemic around Brisbane, Australia

BACKGROUND: Within a short period of time, video assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) has revolutionised the practice of thoracic surgery. Most of the existing literature, however, is concentrated on the technical aspects. AIMS: We examined the impact of VATS on our practice and its implications. METHODS: We reviewed our thoracic case load two years before and two years after the introduction of VATS in our hospital. RESULTS: We have witnessed a rapid and progressive increase in our thoracic case load since the introduction of VATS. With increased experience, proportionally more cases were performed using VATS compared to conventional surgical access. The increased case load covered a wide range of thoracic diseases with the majority for spontaneous pneumothorax and pleural diseases. CONCLUSIONS: The higher case load is due to increased referrals which at least partly reflect earlier acceptance by both the patients and their physicians for surgical intervention. The changing indications for surgery and the high cost associated with VATS, however, could place extra demand on the healthcare, especially for some countries in Asia. Cost containment is therefore a high priority here. More research is greatly needed in this area.     

Interaction of minor groove ligands to an AAATT/AATTT site: correlation of thermodynamic characterization and solution structure

A combination of circular dichroism spectroscopy, titration calorimetry, and optical melting has been used to investigate the association of the minor groove ligands netropsin and distamycin to the central A3T2 binding site of the DNA duplex d(CGCAAATTGGC).d(GCCAATTTGCG). For the complex with netropsin at 20 degrees C, a ligand/duplex stoichiometry of 1:1 was obtained with Kb approximately 4.3 x 10(7) M-1, delta Hb approximately -7.5 kcal mol-1, delta Sb approximately 9.3 cal K-1 mol-1, and delta Cp approximately 0. Previous NMR studies characterized the distamycin complex with A3T2 at saturation as a dimeric side-by-side complex. Consistent with this result, we found a ligand/duplex stoichiometry of 2:1. In the current study, the relative thermodynamic contributions of the two distamycin ligands in the formation of this side-by-side complex (2:1 Dst.A3T2) were evaluated and compared with the thermodynamic characteristics of netropsin binding. The association of the first distamycin molecule of the 2:1 Dst.A3T2 complex yielded the following thermodynamic profile: Kb approximately 3.1 x 10(7) M-1, delta Hb = -12.3 kcal mol-1, delta Sb = -8 cal K-1 mol-1, and delta Cp = -42 cal K-1 mol-1. The binding of the second distamycin molecule occurs with a lower Kb of approximately 3.3 x 10(6) M-1, a more favorable delta Hb of -18.8 kcal mol-1, a more unfavorable delta Sb of -34 cal K-1 mol-1, and a higher delta Cp of -196 cal K-1 mol-1. The latter term indicates an ordering of electrostricted and structural water molecules by the complexes. These results correlate well with the NMR titrations and are discussed in context of the solution structure of the 2:1 Dst.A3T2 complex.     

Retinopathy of prematurity

Research studies have provided advancements in knowledge regarding retinopathy of prematurity. Examination identifies premature infants with threshold disease that indicates need for treatment. It is hoped that timely evaluation and treatment will reduce the incidence of ROP-related blindiness.     

Sex differences in mutation rate in higher primates estimated from AMG intron sequences

To study sex differences in mutation rate in primates, we sequenced the third introns of the AMGX and AMGY genes from humans, orangutans, and squirrel monkeys and estimated that the male-to-female ratio of mutation rate is alpha = 5.14 with the 95% confidence interval (2.42, 16.6). Combining this data set and the data sets from ZFX/ZFY and SMCX/SMCY introns, we obtained an estimate of alpha = 5.06 with the 95% confidence interval reduced to (3.24, 8.79). The alpha value is significantly higher in higher primates than in rodents.     

Unrecognized adult salicylate intoxication

Adult salicylate intoxication has been considered to be easily recognized and assciated with low morbidity and mortality. In the present study of 73 consecutive adults hospitalized with salicylate intoxication, 27% of patients were undiagnosed for as long as 72 h after admission. The initial physical findings and laboratory data in patients not diagnosed on admission did not markedly differ from the findings in patients diagnosed on admission, and included tachypnea and acid-based disturbances as well as the frequent occurrence of neurologic abnormalities. However, patients with a delayed diagnosis of salicylate intoxication were older, rarely had a previous history of drug overdose, and more often became accidentally intoxicated while ingesting salicylate for associated medical illnesses when compared with patients diagnosed on admission. Moratlity was encountered with significantly greater frequency in patients with delayed diagnosis, and, consequently, delayed therapy, when compared with patients diagnosed on admission.     

Reduced variation of tracer binding in digoxin radioimmunoassay by use of (125I)-labeled tyrosine-methyl-ester derivative: relation of thyroxine concentration to binding

Between-sample variation in tracer binding in the 125I-labeled digoxin radioimmunoassay was investigated with two tracers, 3-O-succinyl-digoxigenin-[125I]-labeled tyrosine and [125I]-labeled tyrosine-methyl-ester-digoxin. Digoxin-free serum samples having various concentrations of thyroxine were assayed with both tracers. The percentage of tracer bound when the samples were assayed with the first-mentioned tracer was increased significantly for the low thyroxine groups when compared to the normal (P less than 0.001) or the high thyroxine groups (P less than 0.05). Little difference existed when the latter tracer was used. There was variation in tracer binding when serum from dogs dosed with thyrotropin was assayed with the first tracer, but there was little variation with the second. Tracer binding may be influenced by thyroxine-binding proteins. Variation in tracer binding appears to be reduced when [125I]-labeled tyrosine-methyl-ester-digoxin is used.     

Living unrelated renal donation: the University of Wisconsin experience

BACKGROUND: Living unrelated renal donation (LURD) has the potential to reduce the current waiting list significantly for kidney transplantation. The purpose of this study was to examine the long-term results of 150 LURDs performed at our center during a 16-year period. METHODS: From Dec 23, 1981, to Feb 13, 1998, 150 LURDs, 219 human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-identical, 577 haploidentical, and 1789 cadaveric kidney transplant procedures were performed. Surgical complications, rejection episodes, infectious complications, and the cause of graft loss and death were examined. Ten-year patient and graft survival rates between groups were compared. RESULTS: Fourteen surgical complications including lymphocele (n = 7), ureteral stricture (n = 4), and ureteral leak (n = 3) were seen. Seventy-eight patients (52%) had 123 rejection episodes and 66 patients (44%) had 1 or more infections. Thirty-six allografts were lost and 25 deaths occurred. Patient survival rates at 10 years for HLA-identical, haploidentical, LURD, and cadaveric transplant procedures were 86%, 82%, 63%, and 64%, respectively. Allograft survival rates at 10 years for HLA-identical, haploidentical, LURD, and cadaver transplant procedures were 75%, 59%, 56%, and 44%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term LURD allograft survival rates are lower than those for HLA-identical but equivalent to those of haploidentical and better than those of cadaveric kidney transplantations. Spousal and nonspousal LURDs should be actively encouraged to help alleviate the current donor kidney shortage.