A distant-learning training module on the environmental design of urban buildings

The present paper aims to present a distant-learning training module that concerns the environmental design of urban buildings. The whole approach attempts to integrate topics that concern the design of urban buildings from various points of views, e.g. active and passive systems, automation systems, indoor air quality, economic aspects, energy and resources management. The package offers both printed and electronic material that gives the possibility to the students to study the various topics by using different educational methods. Additionally, the present package contains software tools that permit the students to examine real or hypothetical situations and to study further the influence of various parameters that concern the environmental building design.     

News Media Use and Adolescents' Attitudes about Nuclear Issues: An American-Soviet Comparison

Both Soviet and American youth show a great concern about the possible effects of nuclear war, with heavy media users in both countries more optimistic, but the relation was stronger among Soviet students.     

Intramuscular ceftriaxone compared with oral amoxicillin-clavulanate for treatment of acute otitis media in children

Two hundred and fifteen children aged 4 months 6 years with acute otitis media (AOM) were randomized to be treated either by a single i.m. injection of ceftriaxone, 50 mg/kg, with a second dose in the event of unsatisfactory response after 48 h or a history of recurrent AOM (109 patients) or amoxicillin clavulanate 12.5 mg tid (106 patients). The failure rate was similar in children treated by ceftriaxone and amoxicillin clavulanate, 4.6% and 4.7%, respectively (standard error for intergroup difference -2.87%, 95% confidence interval -5.62% to 5.87%). No significant differences between the groups were found in the dynamics of the resolution of the acute symptomatology, otoscopy findings, relapse rate at 30 days or tympanographic evidence of middle ear effusion at the scheduled visits on days 30, 60 and 90. Recurrence of AOM between days 31 and 90 was observed significantly in more children treated with amoxicillin clavulanate than with ceftriaxone--25 out of 84 (29.4%) versus 11 out of 81 (13.6%) (P = 0.012). Conclusion: Ceftriaxone injection(s) is as efficient at least as 10-day oral amoxicillin clavulanate for treatment of acute otitis media in children. Although not recommended as routine, ceftriaxone can be considered in the management of acute otitis media under special circumstances, particularly in cases when the ability to tolerate or absorb oral drugs is compromised, in children refusing or unable to take oral therapy or when the compliance is questionable.     

Exceptionally high seizure threshold: ECT device limitations

Numerous studies have confirmed the distinct biological behavior of two subsets of prostate cancer diagnosed incidentally after either transurethral resection (TURP) or open prostatectomy for presumed benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Focal, low-grade lesions are associated with a low risk for clinical progression and are designated as stage T1a or A1. These cases have traditionally been managed conservatively with close clinical observation. In contrast, multifocal, high-volume, or high-grade tumors are associated with a more aggressive clinical course and are designated as stage T1b or A2. Early definitive intervention is usually advocated for these latter patients. Therefore, accurate pathological assignment to either stage T1a or T1b is crucial for selection of appropriate management options. A variety of methods for staging patients with incidentally detected prostate cancer have been proposed, including detailed histological analysis, repeat TURP or transurethral biopsy, serial prostate-specific antigen (PSA) analysis, and imaging with either transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) or magnetic resonance (MRI) techniques. This article critically examines the clinical utility of these staging modalities for patients with incidentally detected prostate cancer.     

Immunity to Cryptosporidium muris infection in mice is expressed through gut CD4+ intraepithelial lymphocytes

The role of gut intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL) in immunity to cryptosporidial infection was investigated with a murine infection model involving Cryptosporidium muris. Oocyst shedding was monitored in severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mice infected with C. muris following intravenous injection of mesenteric lymph node (MLN) cells or intestinal IEL from BALB/c donor mice which were naive or previously infected with C. muris. SCID mice receiving no lymphoid cells developed chronic infections and excreted large numbers of oocysts until the end of the experiment. SCID mice injected with IEL from immune animals, however, were able to overcome the infection, and furthermore, these animals produced fewer oocysts and recovered sooner than ones which received IEL or MLN cells from naive BALB/c donors. Similar levels of protection were obtained in SCID mice injected with either 2 X 10(6) IEL or MLN cells from immune donor mice. Depletion of CD4+ cells from immune IEL, however, abrogated the ability to transfer immunity to SCID mice, while depletion of CD8+ cells only marginally reduced the protective capacity of immune IEL. Finally, control SCID mice which received no lymphocytes had < or = 1% CD4+ cells in the IEL from the small intestine, whereas the IEL from SCID mice recovered from infection, as a result of injection with immune IEL, contained 15% CD4+ cells. Thus, the ability to control C. muris infection correlated with the presence of the protective CD4+ cells in the gut epithelium.