Since high frequency jet ventilation (HFJV) relies on lung mechanics for the passive removal of expiratory gas, one would predict that the time allowed for exhalation would have serious effects on cardiopulmonary function. To document these effects we lavaged the lungs of ten cats with 30 ml/kg of saline six times, then sampled arterial and venous blood while the animals were ventilated conventionally at 30 BPM and then with HFJV at 600 BPM, varying inspiratory/expiratory ratios (I/E) from 1:1 to 1:5. The animals breathed 100% O2 throughout the study, and the mean airway pressure was held constant for each animal when the I/E was varied during HFJV. Decreasing the I/E from 1:1 to 1:5 during HFJV resulted in an increase of arterial oxygen content (Cao2) from 11.3 +/- 1.2S E to 13.6 +/- 1.2 ml O2/100 ml blood (P less than 0.01), a decrease of PaCO2 from 43 +/- 6 to 27 +/- 4 mm Hg, and an increase of alveolar to arterial oxygen gradient from 351 +/- 49 to 377 +/- 49 mm Hg. The ratio of systemic blood flow to oxygen consumption (Q/VO2) was similar during conventional ventilation and with HFJV at I/E of 1:1 (18.9 +/- 3.7 vs 18.0 +/- 2.9) but decreased when I/E was reduced to 1:5 during HFJV (13.9 +/- 2.1). The ratio of the product of CaO2 and Q (systemic oxygen availability) to VO2 (SO2 T/VO2) remained unchanged during all modes of ventilation (1.75 +/- 0.15). The increase in CaO2 observed when I/E was reduced from 1:1 to 1:5 during HFJV was counterbalanced by a decrease in Q/VO2 such that SO2 T/VO2 remained relatively constant.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Diagnosis of typhoid fever by two serologic methods. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay of antilipopolysaccharide of Salmonella typhi antibodies and Widal test.

Serum samples from 85 patients with proven typhoid fever, 11 patients with p-typhoidal fever, 101 patients with febrile non-typhoidal, and 130 healthy subjects were tested for immunoglobulin G (IgG), IgA, and IgM antilipopolysaccharide (LPS) of Salmonella typhi antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Widal test. The levels of all three classes of immunoglobulin anti-LPS of S. typhi were higher in typhoid patients than in healthy or febrile nontyphoidal groups; we selected various combinations between the three classes of immunoglobulin to obtain the best combination of sensitivity and specificity. The sum of the absorbance values obtained from the ELISA assay for IgG+IgA+IgM (sigma lgs) was the best choice for diagnostic utility for typhoid fever. We selected a positive test at a decision level of sigma lgs > or = 1.2 with a sensitivity of 94% and a specificity of 92% with a frequency of false negative of 5.9%. The frequency of false positives for healthy controls was 7.7% and, for the febrile nontyphoidal group, it was 7.9%. We also compared receiver (or relative) operating characteristic (ROC) curves for the diagnostic usefulness of the ELISA with that of the Widal test, whose merits and limitations, especially in endemic regions, are discussed. The ELISA assay was much more sensitive and specific than any combination of the Widal test, and hence it could be a useful tool for the serologic diagnosis of typhoidal fever with a single blood sample.

Agglutination Tests↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Teleophthalmology link between a primary health care centre and a reference hospital.

We have evaluated a teleophthalmology service linking a primary health care centre and an eye clinic at a reference hospital. General practitioners at the primary care centre serving a population of 15,000 and ophthalmologists at the reference hospital participated in this study. Eye fundus digital images were taken from 278 eye fundi of 139 consecutive patients with clinical conditions that could potentially produce fundus alterations. Fundus images were obtained with a non-mydriatic fundus camera (Canon CR6-45M) and were electronically sent reference hospital where ophthalmologist inspected the images and returned the diagnosis. In 18 patients (13%) the images did not have good enough quality to exclude eye fundus lesions. In 24 patients (17%) clear eye fundus alterations were found in at least one eye. In 14 patients (10%) there were image features suggesting retinal alterations that could not be confirmed by image inspection. Media opacity (13 eyes, 5%, seven patients, 5%) was the most common cause of poor image quality. The most difficult assessment was the evaluation of optic nerve head cupping. Retinal oedema was not observable in the digital images. In our experience teleopthalmology services seem to be an effective alternative for eye fundus diagnosis and patient follow-up.

Computer Communication Networks↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Chromosomal and behavioral studies of Mexican Drosophila. III. Inversion polymorphism of D. pseudoobscura.

Four new gene arrangements of chromosome 3 of Drosophila pseudoobscura are reported, as well as an updated phylogenetic sequence of the inversion polymorphism in this species. Evidence that the Tree Line gene arrangement of chromosome 3 was the original form in D. pseudoobscura, and that Central Mexico is the center of distribution of this species is discussed.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Simultaneous bilateral "malignant glaucoma" attack in a patient with no antecedent eye surgery or miotics.

Malignant glaucoma is a term commonly used to describe a condition characterized by a sudden increase in intraocular pressure, usually occurring after eye surgery. This report describes a case of malignant glaucoma simultaneously presenting in both eyes, with no antecedent eye disease, medication or surgery. As far as we know this is the first report of spontaneous bilateral glaucoma. Both eyes were operated on according to the technique described by Chandler et al. (1), and the condition was solved. We suggest that, despite its rarity in eyes with no antecedent disease or ocular therapy, a surgeon should be aware of this condition.

Glaucoma↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Rotavirus laboratory network: results after one year of observation].

Rotavirus is the most common cause of severe diarrhea in children and it has been estimated that in Argentina Rotavirus is responsible for 21,000 hospitalizations, 85,000 medical attentions and an annual medical cost of US$ 27 millions. Given that a Rotavirus vaccine is about to be approved, a laboratory network based surveillance system was organized. Herein, we present the results after one year of study. Severe diarrhea was responsible for 9% of pediatric hospitalizations and rotavirus was detected in 42.1% of the diarrhea cases. We estimated that Rotavirus causes 3.8% of pediatric hospitalizations. The number of diarrhea and Rotavirus diarrhea hospitalizations was greater during the first year of life (62% and 71.3%, respectively). The number of diarrhea hospitalizations during the December-May semester was significantly higher than the rest of the year. A Rotavirus diarrhea peak was detected between April and June. These results indicate that Rotavirus is the most important etiological agent of severe diarrhea in Argentine children and show the importance of performing Rotavirus diagnosis in every pediatric hospital. The additional costs will be compensated by many benefits such as better use of antibiotics, improved nosocomial spread control, better handling of hospital beds and of laboratory resources and of the hospitalized patient.

Argentina↗

PubMedDate not supplied

China: a planned parenthooder's view.

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Age Factors↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Caries and malocclusion in children from a health sector of Santa Clara city].

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Adolescent↗