268 research outputs found
Virus Infections in Children in a Respiratory Intensive Care Unit during an Influenza Epidemic
The incidence and severity of virus infections in a children's respiratory intensive care unit during an influenza A epidemic were studied. Infections caused by the Port Chalmers strain of influenza A or by an adenovirus were associated with severe, often fatal, pneumonia, whereas infections caused by respiratory syncytial virus or cytomegalovirus carried a good prognosis
Pheochromocytomas/Paragangliomas and two cases
Pheochromocytomas are catecholamine-producing neuroendocrine tumours that arise from the adrenal medulla or extramedullary
pheochromoblasts with highly variable clinical presentation, including episodes of headache, sweating, palpitations
and hypertension. Due to the non-specificity of the symptoms there is usually a delay between the onset of symptoms and the final diagnosis. To make a firm diagnosis, biochemical testing of the blood (catecholamines) or urine (metanephrines and VMA) are mandatory. Many stimuli increase circulating catecholamines and metabolites and must receive due attention to prevent false-positive results. Therapeutically, surgery is the gold standard. To minimise complications during and post surgery the lesion(s) should be carefully localised via imaging studies. Adequate pre- and postoperative medical treatment is important. The history, diagnosis and therapy of two patients - the one with a paraganglioma of the organ of Zuckerkandl, the other with a intra thoracic paraganglioma are presented. South African Family Practice Vol. 49 (5) 2007: pp. 42-4
Furunculosis in rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) raised in sea water
Ulcerative skin lesions were encountered in rainbow trout raised in sea water by a commercial concern in
the Western Cape, South Africa. Grossly, the lesions resembled furunculosis but, histopathologically, they
differed from typical furunculosis in that bacterial colonies were rarely found in the organs, and also the kidneys
and spleens were minimally involved. The causative organism was identified as an achromogenic Aeromonas
salmonicida that shared characteristics with all 3 subspecies, salmonicida, masoucida and achromogenes. This
is the first report of an outbreak of this disease in South Africa.The articles have been scanned in colour with a HP Scanjet 5590; 600dpi.
Adobe Acrobat XI Pro was used to OCR the text and also for the merging and conversion to the final presentation PDF-format.am201
Positive patient experience of wide awake local anaesthesia no tourniquet (WALANT) hand surgery in the government setting : a prospective descriptive study
BACKGROUND:
The purpose of this study was to establish a subjective patient experience with wide awake local
anaesthesia no tourniquet (WALANT) procedures performed in the institution from May 2019
to March 2020. WALANT surgery was initiated to improve standard operating procedure and to
decrease theatre burden.
METHODS:
This prospective, descriptive study included 100 patients with a mean age of 59 years who
required either a carpal tunnel or trigger finger release. The patients’ pain experience was
documented on the visual analogue scale (VAS) for the local anaesthetic injection and the
surgical procedure. Overall experience was assessed on the patient’s preference to have the
procedure performed by the WALANT method or the conventional method.
RESULTS:
One hundred patients were included, of which 67 had medical comorbidities. The mean VAS
score was 1.5 (SD±1.6) with pain on injection. The mean VAS pain score during the surgical
procedure was 0.2 (SD±0.7). One hundred per cent of patients (100/100) felt they would do the
WALANT outpatient procedure again instead of admission to hospital and surgery in the theatre.
Two complications occurred related to wound care problems, and were successfully managed.
None of the patients required reoperations for incomplete release of the carpal tunnel or trigger
finger surgery.
CONCLUSION:
The results of this study suggest that minor hand surgery using the WALANT protocol can be
performed effectively and with high patient satisfaction rates in the orthopaedic outpatient clinic,
and is a useful tool in the skillset of a hand surgeon.https://www.saoj.org.zaOrthopaedic Surger
Consumer Law and Policy Relating to Change of Circumstances Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic
An unprecedented number of consumer problems has been caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, not least with regard to refunds of prepayments and the ability of consumers to keep up their monthly payments under loan and rental agreements. Based on a notion of societal force majeure sketched in this paper, we propose guiding principles in respect of the introduction of moratoria on recurring payments, the use of refunds or vouchers in respect of prepayments, and associated enforcement challenges. This analysis draws on experiences around the globe.Non peer reviewe
Genetic inhibition of neurotransmission reveals role of glutamatergic input to dopamine neurons in high-effort behavior
Midbrain dopamine neurons are crucial for many behavioral and cognitive functions. As the major excitatory input, glutamatergic afferents are important for control of the activity and plasticity of dopamine neurons. However, the role of glutamatergic input as a whole onto dopamine neurons remains unclear. Here we developed a mouse line in which glutamatergic inputs onto dopamine neurons are specifically impaired, and utilized this genetic model to directly test the role of glutamatergic inputs in dopamine-related functions. We found that while motor coordination and reward learning were largely unchanged, these animals showed prominent deficits in effort-related behavioral tasks. These results provide genetic evidence that glutamatergic transmission onto dopaminergic neurons underlies incentive motivation, a willingness to exert high levels of effort to obtain reinforcers, and have important implications for understanding the normal function of the midbrain dopamine system.Fil: Hutchison, M. A.. National Institutes of Health; Estados UnidosFil: Gu, X.. National Institutes of Health; Estados UnidosFil: Adrover, MartĂn Federico. National Institutes of Health; Estados Unidos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones CientĂficas y TĂ©cnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en IngenierĂa GenĂ©tica y BiologĂa Molecular "Dr. HĂ©ctor N. Torres"; ArgentinaFil: Lee, M. R.. National Institutes of Health; Estados UnidosFil: Hnasko, T. S.. University of California at San Diego; Estados UnidosFil: Alvarez, V. A.. National Institutes of Health; Estados UnidosFil: Lu, W.. National Institutes of Health; Estados Unido
Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin and its Receptors in Alzheimer's Disease (AD) Brain Regions:Differential Findings in AD with and without Depression
Co-existing depression worsens Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathology. Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) is a newly identified (neuro)inflammatory mediator in the pathophysiologies of both AD and depression. This study aimed to compare NGAL levels in healthy controls, AD without depression (AD–D), and AD with co-existing depression (AD+D) patients. Protein levels of NGAL and its receptors, 24p3R and megalin, were assessed in nine brain regions from healthy controls (n = 19), AD–D (n = 19), and AD+D (n = 21) patients. NGAL levels in AD–D patients were significantly increased in brain regions commonly associated with AD. In the hippocampus, NGAL levels were even further increased in AD+D subjects. Unexpectedly, NGAL levels in the prefrontal cortex of AD+D patients were comparable to those in controls. Megalin levels were increased in BA11 and amygdala of AD+D patients, while no changes in 24p3R were detected. These findings indicate significant differences in neuroimmunological regulation between AD patients with and without co-existing depression. Considering its known effects, elevated NGAL levels might actively promote neuropathological processes in AD with and without depression
Prevalência de Mycobacterium tuberculosis resistente em pacientes sob tratamento parcialmente intermitente ou sob tratamento diário
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