Neurofibromatosis 2 in the pediatric age group

Cataract surgeons frequently face the challenge of treating an open-angle glaucoma patient presenting for cataract surgery and intraocular lens implantation. It seems logical to treat both problems during the same surgical procedure if it can be done without jeopardizing the results of either. We present a short historic overview of the trabeculotomy procedure in adults, together with our technique using the new Fukasaku modification of the instrumentation (probes and forceps) and report 50 consecutive cases with a 100% three-month follow-up. The mean preoperative intraocular pressure was 19.3 mm Hg (range 16.0 to 37.0 mm Hg); three months after surgery it was 14.2 mm Hg (range 6.0 to 24.0 mm Hg). The mean preoperative pressure-reducing medications were 2.3 drugs per patient, and the postoperative mean was 0.7. Except for three cases of small postoperative hyphemas, no other complications were encountered during the study.     

The comparative characteristics of preparations of Yersinia pestis capsular antigen F1 obtained from producer strains with different lipopolysaccharide structures

The main protective antigen of the causative agent of plague is capsular antigen F1. The preparations of this antigen isolated from Y.pestis strain EV are characterized by a high content of polysaccharide chains of endotoxins. This can be avoided by using R-variants of bacteria as producers. In this work the comparative study of the preparations of antigen F1 obtained from Y.pestis strain EV, Escherichia coli producer strain HB101 pFS1 with the complete structure of LPS and Salmonella minnesota producer strain Re595 pFS1 with maximally reduced LPS has been made. As revealed in this study, the physico-chemical properties of these preparations (the isoelectric point, electrophoretic mobility, the molecular weight of subunits) are identical. The preparation of antigen F1 obtained from S.minnesota has been found to give the highest yield and to have the lowest content of polysaccharide admixtures. This preparation has proved to possess the maximal protective potency, which may be linked with the adjuvant and immunogenic activity of microadmixtures of glycolipid Re, contained in F1.     

Femoro-femoral crossover bypass in monolateral obstructions of the iliac artery

The Authors report the result of their ten-years experience with femoro-femoral crossover bypass in 26 patients affected with unilateral occlusion of the iliac artery. This bypass is an easy and quick procedure, useful in both short and long term. The patency rate after 58 months is 84.6%. Thus, its use indicated in a high number of patients, not only for a limb salvage treatment of a disabling claudication. The indications for this bypass can be extended to low surgical risk subjects, and it does not have to be considered only for the high-risk patients, instead of major surgery procedure on the aorto-iliac axis. The minimal necessary conditions of the limbs for performing the femoro-femoral crossover bypass are a pressure gradient of 35 mmHg and the angiographical demonstration of the unilateral occlusion. If the contralateral axis appears patent, but there are also multiple atherosclerotic sites, we consider other bypasses as therapeutical choices: aorto-bifemoral, ilio-femoral and the femoro-femoral cross-over itself; in the latter case we previously perform a transluminal angioplasty or an endarterectomy of the donor iliac artery. In these situations is essential to evaluate of the benefit/risk rate for every single patient.     

Polynucleotide hydrolysis by pancreatic ribonuclease immobilized on carboxymethylcellulose]

Analysis of snail-conditioned water (SCW) from Helisoma trivolvis revealed 17 free amino acids. Those in great concentration were glycine, serine, and alanine. The concentration of sialic acid was found to be twice that of the most abundant amino acid. The behavior of miracidia of Megalodiscus temperatus, measured by the contact with return method, to agar cylinders containing single amino acids and sialic acid indicated greater responses to polar molecules charged either positively or negatively at neutral pH. The molecules elicting the greatest response were aspartic, glutamic, and sialic acid. No correlation was found between concentration of amino acids in H. trivolvis SCW and response of M. temperatus miracidia.     

The validity of basal blood glucose in the control of non-insulin-dependent diabetic patients

BACKGROUND: To validate basal glucemia as a control method for non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, and to determine the cut-off point that best characterizes good control. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A transversal, observational study of 256 patients who participated in a diabetes mellitus follow-up program during 1993. In the study, glucemia validity indicators were evaluated after making 2 X 2 tables and ROC (receiver operating characteristic) curves for the different values. Control values of glycated hemoglobin was used as to define a good (< 6.5%) and moderate (< 8%). RESULTS: The values of glucemia considered to be "good" as regards control (from 80 to 110 mg/dl, 4.4-6.05 mmol/dl) have good sensitivity (from 97.3% to 100%) and negative predictive values (from 85.7% to 100%) but extremely bad specificity (from 3.8% to 22.7%) and only moderate positive predictive values (from 59.5% to 64.1%) in reference to values of glycated hemoglobin of 6.5%. The same occurs for 8% as regards sensitivity (from 98.6% to 100%), negative predictive value (from 96.4% to 100%) and specificity from 2.1% to 14.5%). Positive predictive value worsens (from 27.8% to 30.3%). The most effective and most accurate values of glucemia in the ROC curves are 150 mg/dl (8.25 mmol/l) if the control of glycated hemoglobin is good, and 170 mg/dl (9.35 mmol/l) if it is moderate. CONCLUSIONS: The glucemia control figures recommended by consensus produce false positives when they are compared to glycated hemoglobin. In the analysis of effectiveness and ROC curves greater accuracy is obtained with glucemia values that are slightly higher than those recommended.     

分享求变创新——Mido2014展会报道

正3月1～3日,第44届Mido(米兰国际眼镜展)在意大利米兰Fiera Milano展馆如期举行。本届米兰展依然是6个展馆,但是为了更利于买家参观,组委会将传统的双展馆设计合为一个馆:空气流通性更好,展馆功能性更强,展览场地的利用也更充分。其中,汇聚了世界知名眼镜品牌的