Attenuation of exercise-induced bronchospasm by ascorbic acid

[From the Materials and Methods section] Eleven asthmatic subjects (4 male, 7 female) and ten healthy subjects (8 male, 2 female) without history of wheezing or asthma were recruited and informed consent was obtained. In order to select asthmatics with mild disease, members of the university and hospital community were chosen, avoiding the often more severe asthma of hospitalized and clinic patients. None of our subjects had been hospitalized for their asthma and none required corticosteroids. Each subject completed a detailed questionnaire concerning the presence of respiratory symptoms, allergies, and exercise induced bronchospasm (EIB). The subjects\u27 anthropometric data and responses to the questionnaire appear in Tables 1 and 3. All eleven asthmatic subjects complained of wheezing or dyspnea during or after exercise, while none of the ten healthy subjects had similar complaints

FSH Injections and Ultrasonography Determine Presence of Ovarian Components in the Evaluation of Ovotesticular Disorders of Sex Development

Three infants with ambiguous genitalia and suspected ovotestes were given recombinant FSH to induce ovarian follicular development. The development of follicles in the gonadal tissue suggested the presence of ovarian tissue in two of the three infants. This method may provide a means to better characterize gonadal anatomy in patients affected by disorders of sex development (DSD). Sonographic information poststimulation provided parents with earlier and more specific education and support concerning the possible need for confirmative gonadal biopsy treatment options

Antenatal sonographic findings of fetal adrenal hemorrhage

No Abstract.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/38199/1/1870230710_ftp.pd

Radiography of thoracic intravascular stents in children with congenital heart disease

Seventeen balloon expandable stents were placed in thoracic vessels in eleven children with vascular stenoses related to congenital heart lesions. We describe the normal radiographic appearance of three types of balloon expandable stents implanted in pulmonary arteries, pulmonary veins, and the superior vena cava of these children as well as the appearance of the complications we encountered. Knowledge of the radiographic appearance of these devices is important as chest radiography is a primary method of follow-up in children with balloon expandable stents placed to treat stenoses of intrathoracic vessels related to congenital heart disease.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/46700/1/247_2005_Article_BF02012400.pd

Utility of sonography in the diagnosis of bronchopulmonary sequestration

Sonography in six patients with pulmonary sequestration demonstrated findings associated with and indicative of that diagnosis. The most useful feature, which was seen in three cases and is diagnostic of sequestration, is the identification of an anomalous systemic artery arising from the aorta.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/31868/1/0000818.pd

Resolution of splenic injury after nonoperative management

Numerous studies have demonstrated success with nonoperative management of splenic injuries in pediatric patients. However, the resolution of the splenic injury has not been previously evaluated. The records of 50 pediatric patients with splenic injuries from blunt trauma treated nonoperatively between 1984 to 1992 were reviewed retrospectively. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) was performed at the time of injury and 6 weeks postinjury in 25 patients. These scans were reviewed and categorized by a modification of a previously reported grading system for parenchymal injury. All patients had healing of the splenic injuries, with complete resolution of the healing process observed at 6 weeks postinjury in 44%. Even those with shattered spleens (n = 6) had consistent improvement in splenic architecture, with resolution of fractures and/or contusions and return of splenic perfusion. Ten (77%) of 13 grade 1 and 2 injuries were completely resolved by the 6-week follow-up examination, whereas only one (8%) of 12 grade 3 to 5 injuries showed radiological resolution of splenic injuries. None of the 25 follow-up CT scans affected clinical decision-making or led to a deviation from the established protocol, which included a 3-month period of reduced activity. All 50 patients did well, without evidence of morbidity, mortality, or complications after return to full activity 3 months postinjury. These CT scan results and clinical data show (1) radiological resolution of splenic injury, with return toward a normal appearance by 6 weeks postinjury, (2) uniform success of nonoperative management of splenic injury in children, (3) that follow-up CT scans may be used to indicate earlier return to full activity in most cases of grade 1 and 2 splenic injuries, but otherwise they do not appear to contribute to the clinical management of the child after nonoperative treatment of splenic trauma.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/31314/1/0000223.pd

A global reference database of crowdsourced cropland data collected using the Geo-Wiki platform

A global reference data set on cropland was collected through a crowdsourcing campaign using the Geo-Wiki crowdsourcing tool. The campaign lasted three weeks, with over 80 participants from around the world reviewing almost 36,000 sample units, focussing on cropland identification. For quality assessment purposes, two additional data sets are provided. The first is a control set of 1,793 sample locations validated by students trained in satellite image interpretation. This data set was used to assess the quality of the crowd as the campaign progressed. The second data set contains 60 expert validations for additional evaluation of the quality of the contributions. All data sets are split into two parts: the first part shows all areas classified as cropland and the second part shows cropland average per location and user. After further processing, the data presented here might be suitable to validate and compare medium and high resolution cropland maps generated using remote sensing. These could also be used to train classification algorithms for developing new maps of land cover and cropland extent

Genetic variation of St. Louis encephalitis virus

St. Louis encephalitis virus (SLEV) has been regularly isolated throughout the Americas since 1933. Previous phylogenetic studies involving 62 isolates have defined seven major lineages (I–VII), further divided into 14 clades. In this study, 28 strains isolated in Texas in 1991 and 2001–2003, and three older, previously unsequenced strains from Jamaica and California were sequenced over the envelope protein gene. The inclusion of these new sequences, and others published since 2001, has allowed better delineation of the previously published SLEV lineages, in particular the clades of lineage II. Phylogenetic analysis of 106 isolates identified 13 clades. All 1991 and 2001–2003 isolates from Nueces, Jefferson and Harris Counties (Texas Gulf Coast) group in clade IIB with other isolates from these counties isolated during the 1980s and 1990s. This lack of evidence for introduction of novel strains into the Texas Gulf Coast over a long period of time is consistent with overwintering of SLEV in this region. Two El Paso isolates, both from 2002, group in clade VA with recent Californian isolates from 1998–2001 and some South American strains with a broad temporal range. Overall, these data are consistent with multiple introductions of SLEV from South America into North America, and provide support for the hypothesis that in most situations, SLEV circulates within a locality, with occasional incursions from other areas. Finally, SLEV has much lower nucleotide (10.1 %) and amino acid variation (2.8 %) than other members of the Japanese encephalitis virus complex (maximum variation 24.6 % nucleotide and 11.8 % amino acid)

Concurrent Oral 1 - Therapy of rheumatic disease: OP4. Effectiveness of Rituximab in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Results from the British Society for Rheumatology Biologics Register (BSRBR)

Background: Rituximab (RTX) in combination with methotrexate (MTX) has been licensed since 2006 for the management of severe active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in patients who have failed at least one anti-tumour necrosis factor (anti-TNF) therapy. Published clinical trials have demonstrated the efficacy of RTX in improving both clinical symptoms and patients' physical function. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of RTX in RA patients treated in routine clinical practice by examining clinical and patient reported outcomes six months after receiving a first course of RTX. Methods: The analysis involved 550 RA patients registered with the BSRBR, who were starting RTX and were followed up for at least 6 months. Change in Disease Activity Score (DAS28) and European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) response were used to assess the clinical response while change in Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) score was used to assess the physical function of the patients 6 months after starting RTX. The change in DAS28 and HAQ was compared between seronegative and seropositive patients and anti-TNF naïve patients versus anti-TNF failures. The response was also compared between patients receiving RTX in combination with MTX, other non-biologic disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (nbDMARDs) or no nbDMARDs. Results: The mean (s.d.) age of the cohort was 59 (12) years and 78% of the patients were females. The patients had a mean (s.d.) of 15 (10) years of disease duration. 16% were biologic naïve while 84% were anti-TNF failures. 32% of the patients were seronegative and 68% were seropositive. The mean (95% CI) DAS28 at baseline was 6.2 (6.1, 6.3) which decreased to 4.8 (4.7, 4.9) at 6 months of follow up. 16% were EULAR good responders, 43% were moderate responders and 41% were non responders. The mean (95% CI) change in HAQ was −0.1 (−0.2, −0.1) (Table 1). The mean change in DAS28 was similar in seropositive and seronegative patients (p = 0.18) while the anti-TNF naïve patients showed a greater reduction in DAS28 scores than anti-TNF failures (p = 0.05). Patients receiving RTX in combination with MTX showed similar changes in DAS28 and HAQ compared to patients receiving RTX alone or with other nbDMARDs. Conclusions: RTX has proven to be effective in the routine clinical practice. Anti-TNF naïve patients seem to benefit more from RTX treatment than anti-TNF failures. Disclosure statement: The authors have declared no conflicts of interes