Two rugosochonetid species, Neochonetes (Huangichonetes) geniculatus sp. nov. and Neochonetes (Zhongyingia) linshuiensis sp. nov., are described from the Lopingian (Late Permian) of the Chuanmu ...section, Sichuan, South China. Ecological changes from the diverse upper Changhsingian brachiopod palaeocommunity to the depauperate post-extinction brachiopod community are briefly discussed.
The efficacy and safety of sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) are currently supported by clinical trials, meta-analysis and post-marketing surveys. Practice parameters for clinical use of SLIT are ...proposed here by a panel of Italian specialists, with reference to evidence based criteria. Indications to SLIT include allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, asthma, and isolated conjunctivitis (strength of recommendation: grade A). As to severity of the disease, SLIT is indicated in moderate/severe intermittent rhinitis, persistent rhinitis and mild to moderate asthma (grade D). SLIT may be safely prescribed also in children aged three to five years (grade B), and its use in subjects aged more than 60 years is not prevented when the indications and contraindication are ascertained (grade D). The choice of the allergen to be employed for SLIT should be made in accordance with the combination of clinical history and results of skin prick tests (grade D). Polysensitisation, i.e. the occurrence of multiple positive response does not exclude SLIT, which may be done with the clinically most important allergens (grade D). As to practical administration, co-seasonal, pre co-seasonal, and continuous schedules are available, being the latter recommended for perennial allergens or for pollens with particularly prolonged pollination, such as Parietaria (grade D). For pollens with relatively short pollination, such as grasses and trees (cypress, birch, alder, hazelnut, olive) the pre co-seasonal and perennial schedules are preferred (grade C). The build-up phases suggested by manufacturers can be safely used (grade A), but they can be modified according to the patient's tolerance (grade C). A duration of SLIT of 3-5 years is recommended to ensure a long-lasting clinical effect after the treatment has been terminated (grade C).
The Permian of East and Northeast Asia Shi, G.R.; Campi, Monica J.; Shen, Shu-zhong
Journal of Asian earth sciences,
03/2006, Letnik:
26, Številka:
3
Journal Article
Healon 5 is a high-molecular-mass fraction of sodium hyaluronate. Its density endows it with a number of viscoelastic characteristics. In this prospective, randomised clinical study we compared the ...performance of Healon 5 and Healon in phacoemulsification.
Institute of Ophthalmology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy.
Two groups of patients underwent phacoemulsification and intraocular lens (IOL) implantation. In the first 27 patients Healon 5 was used as viscoelastic substance during surgery, and in the second 27 Healon was used. The surgeons subjective comments on the performance of these viscoelastic agents were recorded at the different steps of surgery: injection, capsulorhexis, phacoemulsification, IOL implantation, removal of viscoelastic agent and trasparency throughout the operation. The surgeon's overall impression of the viscoelastics during the whole operation was noted. Tonometry and endothelial cell count were performed in all patients before and after operation.
There was no statistical difference between the two groups as regards visual acuity, ocular pressure and endothelial damage. Healon 5 showed excellent ability to maintain the anterior chamber during capsulorhexis, phacoemulsification and IOL implantation. Removal time with Healon 5 was not appreciably longer than Healon.
Healon 5 emerges as a very interesting viscoelastic substance. Visibility is better if the anterior chamber is filled completely. Removal is easier if it is aspirated while moving the irrigation aspiration tip with circular movements over the top and around the border of the IOL.
We evaluated the correlations between cognitive impairment, clinical and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in 100 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). The performance on one or more ...neuropsychological tests was abnormal in 47% of the 64 patients who completed the entire neuropsychological battery; the cognitive impairment was mild in 14 (22%) and severe in 16 (25%). Performance on any single neuropsychological test was unrelated to clinical parameters (age, duration of the disease, disability). The neuropsychological performance of relapsing-remitting patients was better than in patients with a chronic-progressive disease. The mean scores for almost all the neuropsychological tests were significantly lower in patients with severe ventricular dilatation and corpus callosum atrophy than in patients in whom these structures were little affected. Mean scores for WMS, performance Intelligence Quotient (IQ), total IQ and Token Test (TT) were also significantly correlated with the widening of cortical sulci and total lesional scores. Our data support the contention that the involvement of pathways that are critical for a given cognitive process as well as the progression of the axonal degeneration and sclerosis seem to play important roles in the pathophysiology of cognitive dysfunction in MS.
In three patients with recurrent episodes of acute transverse myelopathy, spinal MR imaging during each episode showed areas of hyperintensity on proton density- and T2-weighted images with ...inconsistent contrast enhancement. Cranial MR imaging, laboratory screenings, and CSF analysis showed only increased titers of anticardiolipin antibodies. Although a causative role in neurologic conditions has not been established conclusively, an association between these antibodies and acute transverse myelopathy and its recurrences cannot be ignored.
To assess if injured eyes develop ocular blood flow disturbances that may contribute to development of traumatic glaucoma.
Twenty-five eyes of 25 patients hospitalized from January 1997 to July 1999 ...for blunt (15) or penetrating (10) eye injury and elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) (>23 mm Hg) were controlled at least 24 months after the trauma and underwent visual field examination, pulsatile ocular blood flow (pOBF), and color Doppler imaging (CDI) analysis of ophthalmic artery, central retinal artery, nasal and temporal short posterior ciliary arteries. Uninjured healthy eye was used as control.
IOP was significantly higher in injured eyes (15.1+/-3.3 vs 13.0+/-2.7 mmHg; p<0.01), but only 2 eyes (8%) were under medical treatment. pOBF values were significantly lower in injured eyes: 11.25+/-6.56 microL/sec in the trauma eyes and 15.40+/-7.29 in fellow eyes (p=0.002). Resistivity index of all investigated retrobulbar vessels was very significantly higher in injured eyes than in fellow eyes (p<0.0001). There is no significant correlation between IOP and ocular blood flow disturbance.
Long-term follow-up (mean 39+/-12 months) of injured eyes shows, besides a slight but significant increase of IOP, a very significant impairment of ocular blood supply to injured eyes compared to healthy fellow eyes with reduction of pulsatile ocular blood flow and marked increase of resistance to flow in all retrobulbar vessels. These anomalies may be considered an independent risk factor to develop traumatic glaucoma.
Although well documented, brain structural abnormalities in schizophrenia are non-specific, and morphometric parameters show significant overlap between patients and healthy controls. Such ...inconsistencies in neuroimaging findings could represent different levels of severity along a single pathogenic process or distinct clinical and etiopathological psychoses within a schizophrenic spectrum. The aim of the present study was the investigation of distinct brain abnormalities in different subtypes of schizophrenia. Forty patients were classified according to DSM-IV and Leonhard's classifications. Psychopathology was assessed by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and the Negative Symptom Rating Scale (NSRS). Patients were compared to 20 healthy volunteers on volumetric measures of cerebral structures (hemisphere, hippocampus and planum temporale) and ventricular–brain ratio (VBR) obtained by magnetic resonance imaging. Patients showed rightward asymmetry of cerebral hemispheres and increased VBR. Rightward asymmetry correlated with severity of negative symptoms and prevailed in the systematic forms of Leonhard, suggesting a distinct pattern of left hemisphere abnormality in this subgroup of psychoses. Increased VBR values showed a single normal distribution in the subgroups, indicating that ventricular enlargement is not restricted to a subgroup but is present to a certain degree in all cases.
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