Expression of human endogenous retrovirus K and W in babies.

Here we determined the relative expression of HERV-K and W proviruses in HIV infected and non-infected mothers as well as their respective babies up to 1 year-old. HIV-infected mothers, their babies and uninfected control groups presented expression of both HERV-K and HERV-W with relatively high frequency. While the level of HERV-K expression was similar among groups, the level of HERV-W expression in HIV-infected mothers was four-fold higher than the uninfected mothers from the control group (p < 0.01). HERV-W was down regulated in HIV-exposed babies in comparison to non-exposed babies. To our knowledge, this is the first report of HERV transcriptional activity in babies from 0-1 year-old.

First Report of Cactodera milleri in Wisconsin.

During the summer of 2005, lemon-shaped cysts and second-stage juveniles of a cyst nematode were recovered from soil at the University of Wisconsin Agricultural Research Station in Hancock, WI. Samples were collected on multiple dates from a plot (61 × 12 m) in continuous potato production for 20 years with significant weed pressure. PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism profiles of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) 1 region using restriction enzyme HhaI indicated Cactodera spp. (2). Morphological observations and morphometrics made on cysts, males, J2s, and eggs were consistent with Cactodera milleri Graney and Bird, 1990 (1). Host range studies were conducted in a growth chamber. Soybean, potato, and beet did not support nematode development and reproduction. Common lambsquarters (Chenopodium album), a known host of C. milleri, was an excellent host. No obvious aboveground disease symptoms were evident on lambsquarters in the growth chamber assay. This detection represents the first record of C. milleri in Wisconsin. Unless detailed morphological or molecular measurements are made, C. milleri may be easily confused with the soybean cyst nematode, Heterodera glycines. The presence of lambsquarters in fields planted with glyphosate-resistant soybeans makes the recovery of both nematode species in a single soil sample possible. References: (1) L. S. O. Graney and G. W. Bird. J. Nematol. 22:457, 1990. (2) A. L. Szalanski et al. J. Nematol. 29:255, 1997.

Effects of delayed processing on mammographic phantom object detection.

OBJECTIVES: Delayed processing of films is a common occurrence in mobile mammography screening programs. The effects of such delayed processing on radiologists' detection of phantom test objects are investigated. METHODS: Twelve screen-film combinations were exposed using a phantom and developed after delays of 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7 days. Films were scored by three board-certified radiologists specializing in mammography, based on visibility of calcifications, masses, fibrils, and line pairs. RESULTS: Variance analyses of mean scores indicate that, across screen-film combinations, there are no statistically significant decreases in object detection associated with delayed processing. The analyses do indicate, however, a statistically significant difference in scores unrelated to delay, attributable to the screen-film combination used. CONCLUSIONS: Delayed processing of mammography film does not lead to a decrease in the visibility of phantom test objects, despite large decreases in overall image optical density.

Impression materials and virus.

Results of this study indicate that impression materials vary in their ability to absorb and retain virus. Disinfection procedures specific for each material or groups of materials should be developed.

Trouble shooting everyday restorative emergencies.

Restorative emergencies present themselves nearly every day in a general practice. Both patients and staff appreciate a designed triage protocol that is followed to route patients for treatment. Although most restorative emergencies do not require immediate attention, to patients, the problem is unsettling and they would want it evaluated as soon as possible. When the necessity for the immediate treatment of an emergency is confirmed, the office schedule is least disrupted when the practitioner and staff follow restorative treatment techniques that manage the dilemma. This article has attempted to provide the dentist with some methods of triage and treatment of restorative emergencies. There are other methods for treating patients with similar emergency needs. The manner that is chosen has to be the one that works at a clinically predictable level.

Field deployment of automated external defibrillators to a Federal Fire Service unit under medical direction of a military emergency service.

Automated external defibrillators (AEDs) have been proven in numerous studies to decrease the time interval from cardiac arrest to defibrillation, thus improving the survival rate for victims of ventricular fibrillation and pulseless ventricular tachycardia, the most common causes of reversible sudden cardiac death. Recent Department of Defense initiatives have mandated increased participation of Federal Fire Service units in the conduct of prehospital emergency medical care on military and other federal installations. This report describes the development and deployment of an AED program for a fire department serving a U.S. military installation under the medical direction of that installation's medical treatment facility. This "first step" in the integration of Federal Fire Services into emergency medical care, as well as potential future military applications for AEDs, are discussed.

Factors affecting the stability of sodium hypochlorite solutions used to disinfect dental impressions.

Increased concern over the transmission of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, hepatitis B, herpes, and other diseases has prompted research into the disinfection of dental impressions. Among the factors to be considered when dental impressions are disinfected is the stability of the disinfectant solutions during storage and use. This study is concerned with the effect on disinfectant solutions of repeated immersion of alginate dental impressions taken in metal trays. The effects of the impression materials, metal trays, and dilution were evaluated, and the impact of light, heat, and storage were also addressed. The findings indicated that in the test solutions, although considerable chlorine was consumed during the disinfection procedures, bactericidal activity was maintained, while in the control solution both chlorine content and bactericidal activity were remarkably stable.

Traditional "one size fits all" dental education: no longer adequate.

Fundamental changes are needed in dental education that recognize the differing career paths of dental scientists and dental clinicians, and the fact that the functionally different careers of both groups are no longer adequately served by the traditional dental school curriculum.

Cytotoxicity of impression materials.

The purpose of this study was to assess the potential cytotoxicity of impression materials. The impression material brands tested included Impregum, Reprosil, Surgident, Permlastic, Jeltrate Regular and Jeltrate Fast Set. These impression materials and their components were tested for their possible cytotoxic effects by three different methods. The results showed that all impression materials were cytotoxic to some degree by all three assay methods and some of the components were also cytotoxic. These results support the literature showing in vivo adverse effects of certain impression materials and/or their components in patients and practitioners.

Improvement in esophageal motor dysfunction with treatment of reflux esophagitis: a report of two cases.

We report two patients with reflux esophagitis who had decreased lower esophageal sphincter pressures and marked decreased frequency of peristaltic response to swallowing and peristaltic amplitude on pretreatment esophageal motility tracings. Both patients responded to medical therapy of reflux esophagitis with symptomatic clinical improvement, increased lower esophageal sphincter pressures, and increased frequency of peristaltic propagation and amplitude of peristalsis. Measures to treat reflux esophagitis may be effective in some cases, in part, because they permit healing of esophageal inflammation to improve esophageal motor activity, the latter which results in improvement of esophageal acid clearing.

Polyposis coli presenting with Streptococcus bovis endocarditis.

Streptococcus bovis bacteremia is an important early clue to the presence of serious and clinically unexpected gastrointestinal disease, particularly carcinoma of the colon. S. bovis bacteremia has also been associated with carcinoma of the esophagus and stomach, gastric lymphoma, pancreatic adenocarcinoma, intestinal diverticulosis and single adenomatous polyps and villous polyps of the colon. We report a patient with S. bovis endocarditis as the initial clinical manifestation of extensive polyposis of the colon and rectum. All patients with S. bovis bacteremia need thorough investigation of their gastrointestinal tract even in the absence of symptoms, signs, or positive laboratory tests suggestive of gastrointestinal pathology.

Accuracy of irreversible hydrocolloid impression material mixed with disinfectant solutions.

PURPOSE: Irreversible hydrocolloid is capable of resisting contamination by viruses and saliva when the disinfectant iodine or the disinfectant chlorhexidine is added to the water being used to mix the material. This study investigates the accuracy of alginate impressions made with water to which either of the two disinfectants has been added. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 30 casts were made from an impression of a master cast. Ten impressions were made using water according to the manufacturer's instructions, ten were made using water to which iodine had been added, and ten were made using water to which chlorhexidine had been added. A measuring microscope was used to measure three different dimensions on each cast. Each measurement was repeated three times, and the average was used to compute the mean and standard deviation for each measured dimension. The data were statistically evaluated using a one-way analysis of variance. RESULTS: There was no statistical difference in the accuracy of irreversible hydrocolloid impressions mixed with water or with either of two disinfectant solutions. CONCLUSION: Accurate casts can be obtained when either of the two disinfectants are incorporated into the alginate impression material.

[The effect of the laryngeal mask airway on the postoperative incidence of vomiting and sore throat in children]. / Einfluss der Kehlkopfmaske auf postoperatives Erbrechen und Halsschmerzen bei Kindern.

UNLABELLED: 100 ASA I and II children, aged 4 to 14 years, and scheduled for strabismus surgery, were randomly assigned to one of the following groups: group 1 (n = 50): endotracheal tube, group 2 (n = 50): laryngeal mask airway. Apart from airway management, the anaesthesiological procedures were identical in both groups: induction with 2-3 mg/kg propofol, 0.02 mg/kg alfentanil, 0.05 mg/kg vecuronium, and 0.01 mg/kg atropine. After endotracheal intubation or insertion of the laryngeal mask, anaesthesia was continued with 6-15 mg/kg.h propofol and 10-30 micrograms/kg.h alfentanil. All patients were ventilated with N2O/O2 (2:1). No antiemetics were given, gastric contents were not aspirated. Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) were recorded by 24 h, the incidence of sore throats was recorded 8, 12, and 24 h post-operatively. RESULTS: The incidence of PONV was higher in group 1 (vomiting 48% vs 32%), nausea 28% vs 16% n.s.). Group 1 children had a higher incidence of sore throats (20% vs. 12%, n.s.), of a "lump in the throat" (10% vs 4%, n.s.), hoarseness (24% vs 0%, p < 0.001) and dysarthria (10% vs 4%, n.s.). CONCLUSIONS: In children undergoing strabismus surgery, the laryngeal mask airway was superior to the endotracheal tube in terms of PONV and was associated with fewer local complications such as sore throat.