The histopathology of hepatitis delta virus disease was studied in carriers of HBsAg with chronic hepatitis delta antigen-positive hepatitis and in serial biopsies of patients with acute hepatitis delta virus hepatitis that progressed to chronicity. There was no histologic feature distinctive of hepatitis delta virus from other types of viral hepatitis. Biopsy specimens of patients with chronic disease exhibited portal and periportal inflammation with piecemeal necrosis, conforming to a picture of aggressive hepatitis often accompanied by cirrhosis. Characteristic was a marked intralobular infiltration by mononuclear cells and a degenerative eosinophilic change of the hepatocytic cytoplasms conducive to the formation of acidophilic bodies. Liver specimens from patients with hepatitis delta virus hepatitis exhibited aspects of focal, confluent and bridging necrosis. The disease progressed to chronicity irrespective of the original histological features. The expression of intrahepatic hepatitis delta antigen was reduced in the phase of the acute hepatitis but increased in parallel with the development of chronic active liver disease. In late-stage cirrhosis, expression of hepatitis delta antigen was usually low.

Acute Disease↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Effect of preoperative radiological treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma before liver transplantation: a retrospective study.

PURPOSE: To assess the results of radiological treatment of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) performed before orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). METHODS: Sixty-two transplanted patients with a total of 89 HCC nodules were studied; 50 lesions in 38 patients had been treated prior to OLT with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE; n = 29), percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI; n = 10), or combined therapy (TACE + PEI; n = 11). The induced necrosis was pathologically evaluated. The recurrence rate after OLT in the treated group of patients (n = 38) was compared with that in the non-treated group (n = 24). RESULTS: After TACE, necrosis was complete in 7 of 29 lesions (24.1%), partial in 11 of 29 (37.9%), and absent in 11 of 29 (37.9%). After PEI, necrosis was complete in 8 of 10 lesions (80%), and partial in 2 of 10 (20%). Using combined therapy, necrosis was complete in 11 of 11 lesions (100%). Four of 24 untreated and 4 of 38 treated patients did not survive OLT from causes not related to the HCC; 3 of 20 non-treated patients (15%) and 4 of 34 treated patients (11.8%) had post-OLT recurrence (these last four patients had undergone only TACE and did not have tumor necrosis at pathological examination). CONCLUSION: TACE of HCC prior to OLT had no influence on the recurrence rate. PEI and combined therapy (TACE + PEI) may be recommended in patients awaiting OLT.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Lymphocytic gastritis and protein-losing gastropathy.

Lymphocytic gastritis is a histopathological entity of unknown aetiology which is characterized by dense surface and foveolar epithelial T-cell infiltration. We report here an uncommon clinical presentation in a young female presenting with unexplained recurrent weight loss and peripheral oedema. Endoscopic and histological features before and after successful therapy with omeprazole are described.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Surface tension of therapeutic surfactants (exosurf neonatal, infasurf, and survanta) as evaluated by standard methods and criteria.

Three commercial preparations for the treatment of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS), Exosurf Neonatal (EX), Infasurf (IN), and Survanta (SU), were studied at 37 degrees C in both a pulsating bubble surfactometer and a vertical film surface balance. "Static" characteristics of adsorbed films were assessed with "bubble" at maximum radius (Rmax) and at minimum radius (Rmin). Adsorption time was time to stable film formation (gamma equilibrium). In dynamic experiments, the bubble was cycled (compressed-decompressed) between Rmax and Rmin at 20, 40, and 80 cpm. Spread films were cycled in the surface balance between maximum area (Amax) and minimum area (A(min)) at 1.5 cpm. In all experiments, maximum surface tension (gamma max) coincided with Rmax or Amax and gamma min with Rmin or A(min). All trials were continued until gamma max and gamma min were reproducible. Data were evaluated according to standard criteria for normal function both in vivo and in vitro of lipid mixtures (EX) or natural surfactants (IN, SU) prepared for treatment of NRDS. All preparations failed two of the four criteria, adsorption in the time of a deep breath and maintenance of stable, low gamma. Adsorption required 10 to 20 seconds and stable gamma was achieved only at equilibrium gamma, > 17 mN/m. IN and SU conformed in general to two criteria, gamma approaching zero on compression and low surface compressibility (< 0.09 m/mN), whereas spontaneously formed films of EX did not. EX was idiosyncratic in that these two criteria were met only after an apparent change of film conformation had been effected, possibly related to elimination of preparation additives from the surface.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Biological Products↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Cutaneous microcirculation is not altered by a weak 50 Hz magnetic field.

Electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EH) is an increasing problem in modern industrial societies. As crawling sensations are frequently mentioned by EH patients alterations in cutaneous microcirculation possibly linked to exposure to magnetic fields might be involved in the development of such sensations and further dysesthesias. In seven healthy volunteers and in three persons convinced to suffer from EH the microcirculation of the right thumb was determined by laser-Doppler-flowmetry (LDF) during exposure to circularly polarized 50 Hz magnetic flux densities of 96 mT. During field exposure the LDF values remained constant. The LDF ratio "field on/field off" was found to be 1.03 +/- 0.03. In contrast, reactive hyperemia and hyperventilation caused significant changes in the LDF values of volunteers as well as of EH patients. Following arterial congestion of the forearm microcirculation of the thumb was clearly increased during reperfusion, and the LDF values were elevated up to 2.02 +/- 0.36. 10 deep breaths caused a significant decrease in the LDF values up to 0.63 +/- 0.18. In conclusion, reactive hyperemia and hyperventilation caused clear alterations of cutaneous microcirculation, whereas, 50 Hz magnetic fields had no influence on cutaneous microcirculation.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Mathematical-technical model of passive and active vibrations of the basilar membrane].

On the basis of the physiological measurements made by v. Békésy and Johnstone, we developed a mathematical model to describe passive and active displacement patterns of the basilar membrane. Approximation of the model functions to the measured values is achieved with the aid of the linear least squares method. Using frequency mapping, the distribution of the basilar membrane displacement is presented in three-dimensional graphic form. The resulting application possibilities of this approach, for example, to electronic simulation of inner ear functions and speech processing systems, are discussed.

Basilar Membrane↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Sentinel node biopsy in vulvar malignancies: a preliminary feasibility study.

Sentinel lymph node biopsies (SLNB) were investigated in 8 cases (6 squamous cell carcinomas, 2 melanomas) of vulvar malignancy. The sentinel node was detected by patent blue dye injection (1 case), pre operative lymphoscintigraphy with intra-operative gamma hand-held probe (2 cases), and combined techniques (5 cases). The procedure was successful in all cases but one (1 invasive squamous cell carcinoma) in which there was medial groin recurrence at 6 months. Nodal invasion was observed in only one case and was confined to the sentinel node. No specific morbidity related to the SLNB procedure occurred. SLNB appears to be a feasible and promising technique, however, requiring further evaluation before being considered as a reliable method to spare inguinofemoral lymphadenectomy in early-stage patients free of sentinel node metastasis, or to be substituted in screening elderly clinically node-negative females.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The impact of a geriatrics evaluation and management unit compared to standard care in a community teaching hospital.

A prospective, controlled trial was initiated to determine whether an acute inpatient geriatrics unit located in a community-based teaching hospital provides better care for frail elderly patients at less cost than conventional medical-surgical units.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[The annual and seasonal variation in the bacteria and rotaviruses implicated in the etiology of diarrheal diseases in children].

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Bacteria↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Panic-like attack induced by microinfusion into the locus coeruleus of antagonists and inverse agonists at GABAA-receptors in rodents.

The microinfusion of drugs inhibiting GABA-ergic transmission into the locus coeruleus (LC) of rats and mice produced a dramatic pattern of behavioural stimulation accompanied by marked electrocortical (ECoG) desynchronization. In rats, unilateral microinfusion into the LC of bicuculline (0.5-4 pmol) produced dose-dependent behavioural stimulation culminating in a panic-like attack, ECoG desynchronization and marked changes in ECoG spectrum power. These effects were prevented by a pretreatment into the same site with muscimol. Similarly, in mice, the microinfusion of ethyl-beta-carboline-3-carboxylate (beta-CCE, 4.1 nmol) into the LC of C57BL/6 mice produced an intense state of behavioural stimulation accompanied by intense stereotyped movements and increased excitability to external stimuli; these effects were prevented by prior microinfusion of diazepam or flumazenil into the same site. In conclusion, the present experiments show that in rodents drug manipulations leading to a decrease in the activity of GABA-benzodiazepine receptor complex in the LC are responsible for the occurrence of panic-like attacks.

Animals↗