Tick zoonoses in the southern part of Switzerland (Canton Ticino): occurrence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and Rickettsia sp

Biosynthesis of nitric oxide (NO) and tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) was investigated during cytokine-mediated activation of chicken macrophages. Monocyte derived macrophages and HD11 cells, a chicken macrophage cell line, constitutively synthesize BH4. Treatment of these cells with chicken macrophage activation factor (ChMAF) causes up to 10-fold increases of intracellular BH4 and of nitrite concentrations in the cell culture supernatant. Elevated BH4 levels correlate with an increase in GTP-cyclohydrolase I (GTP-CH) activity. Kinetic studies show a joint upregulation of GTP-CH activity and NO synthase activity first detectable 4 hr after stimulation. A corresponding increase in the mRNA for GTP-CH was detected by Northern blot analysis with a chicken GTP-CH specific cDNA probe. These results demonstrate that cytokine-induced BH4 synthesis by chicken macrophages is at least partially regulated through increased GTP-CH gene expression. The functional relevance of BH4 formation for NO production is shown by experiments using 2,4-diamino-6-hydroxypyrimidine (DAHP) as a specific inhibitor of GTP-CH. Monocyte derived macrophages stimulated in the presence of DAHP show a significant decrease in NO synthesis. The effect of DAHP was reversed by adding sepiapterin, which allows synthesis of BH4 through a salvage pathway.     

Arguments against the involvement of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in Alzheimer''s disease

The posterior prostatomembranous urethral stricture or distraction defect has historically been the most formidable challenge of stricture surgery. This uncommon lesion occurs most often as the sequelae of pelvic fracture injuries, or straddle trauma, and is associated with serious urethral disruption and separation--an injury that is often complicated by inappropriate initial management using substitution skin flap techniques with the development of recurrent stenosis, irreversible impotence, and occasional incontinence. Management by endoscopic techniques may be possible in patients with short strictures or in those after prostatectomy, but they rarely play a role in resolving the complex obliterated urethra with a significant defect [1]. Resolution of post-traumatic posterior urethral distraction defects and other posterior urethral pathologic conditions has dramatically improved over the past two decades despite an inaccessible subpublic location involving exposed sphincter-active and erectile neurovascular anatomy. The contemporary, perineal, one-stage bulboprostatic anastomotic operation as popularized by Turner-Warwick [20] with selective scar excision is a versatile procedure with a high patent lumen success. Patients undergoing anastomotic urethroplasty have a substained patent urethral lumen success rate approaching 100% versus those who have undergone urethral skin flap or patch repair, where the restricture rate in 5 and 10 years increases twofold to threefold [1, 20]. A patent urethra after an anastomotic urethroplasty at 6 months is free from further recurrent stricture and gives credence to Mr. Turner-Warwick's admonition that "urethra is the best substitute for urethra".     

A 25-MS/s 14-b 200-mW /spl Sigma//spl Delta/ Modulator in 0.18-/spl mu/m CMOS

The design of a fifth-order 4-b quantizer single-loop /spl Sigma//spl Delta/ modulator is presented that achieves 25-MS/s conversion rate with 84 dB of dynamic range and 82 dB of signal-to-noise ratio. Implemented in a 0.18-/spl mu/m CMOS technology, the 0.95-mm/sup 2/ chip has a power consumption of 200 mW from a 1.8-V supply.     

Horizon Map Capture

We present a method for computing horizon maps from captured images of a bumpy surface. 1Horizon maps encode surface self-shadowing effects, and can be used with bump or normals maps to realistically render surfaces with small height perturbations. The method does not rely on complete surface reconstruction, and requires only eight captured images as input. In this paper we discuss how shadow information is extrapolated from the eight captured images to compute the horizon map. Our implementation accounts for the noise and uncertainties in physically acquired data.     

Cardiogenic shock

Cardiogenic shock (CS), defined as forward failure combined with systolic blood pressure < 90 mm Hg and reduced organ perfusion despite adequate volume loading, still has a grim prognosis with mortality rates of 80-100% if the causes are left untreated. The most frequent conditions underlying CS are acute myocardial infarction, acute and severe aortic or mitral incompetence, rapidly progressive dilatative cardiomyopathy and hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy. Whereas correct conservative management by drugs and pacing may be life saving in the latter, the other conditions require early invasive management. Indications for cardiac surgery and circulatory assistance are given for mechanical complications leading to CS. In CS complicating myocardial infarction, comprehensive management with early invasive revascularization and intraaortic balloon pumping may result in improved survival compared with the disappointing outcome of medical treatment, including fibrinolysis. This strategy can be offered to the majority of infarct patients in CS, who are primarily admitted to hospitals not equipped for interventional cardiology or cardiac surgery. Between-hospital transfer of these patients for PTCA (or surgery) and advanced intensive care has been shown to be feasible and safe.