Pathologic lesions caused by coinfection of Mycoplasma gallisepticum and H3N8 low pathogenic avian influenza virus in chickens.

Chickens were infected under experimental conditions with Mycoplasma gallisepticum and low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) strain A/mallard/Hungary/19616/07 (H3N8). Two groups of chickens were aerosol challenged with M. gallisepticum strain 1226. Seven days later, one of these groups and one mycoplasma-free group was challenged with LPAI H3N8 virus; one group without challenge remained as negative control. Eight days later, the birds were euthanized and examined for gross pathologic and histologic lesions. The body weight was measured, and the presence of antimycoplasma and antiviral antibodies was tested before the mycoplasma challenge, before the virus challenge, and at the end of the study to confirm both infections. Chickens in the mycoplasma-infected group developed antibodies against M. gallisepticum but not against the influenza virus. Chickens of the group infected with the influenza virus became serologically positive only against the virus, while the birds in the coinfected group developed antibodies against both agents. The LPAI H3N8 virus strain did not cause decrease in body weight and clinical signs, and macroscopic pathological lesions were not present in the chickens. The M. gallisepticum infection caused respiratory signs, airsacculitis, and peritonitis characteristic of mycoplasma infection. However, the clinical signs and pathologic lesions and the reduction in weight gain were much more significant in the group challenged with both M. gallisepticum and LPAI H3N8 virus than in the group challenged with M. gallisepticum alone.

The effect of vascular risk factors on the efficacy of rivastigmine patch and capsule treatment in Alzheimer's disease.

BACKGROUND: Vascular risk factors (VRF) may influence response to rivastigmine in Alzheimer's disease (AD). METHODS: AD patients who participated in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of rivastigmine patch and capsule treatment were stratified by baseline VRF status. Treatment response was evaluated using the AD Assessment Scale-cognitive subscale (ADAS-cog), AD Cooperative Study-Clinical Global Impression of Change (ADCS-CGIC) and the AD Cooperative Study-Activities of Daily Living (ADCS-ADL) scale. RESULTS: ADAS-cog scores significantly improved in all rivastigmine-treated patients (p < 0.05 vs. placebo), except 9.5 mg/24 h patch-treated patients with VRF, and were significantly affected by VRF status in the study population as a whole. Significant benefits were seen on the ADCS-ADL in 9.5 mg/24 h patch- and capsule-treated patients with, but not without, VRF. The ADCS-CGIC significantly improved in capsule-treated patients with, and patch-treated patients without VRF. Although non-significant, patients without VRF showed an apparent faster rate of placebo decline. CONCLUSION: VRF may influence AD progression and response to rivastigmine.

Dose effects associated with rivastigmine transdermal patch in patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease.

AIM: The cholinesterase inhibitor rivastigmine is available in both oral and transdermal forms. The efficacy of oral rivastigmine appears to be dose-dependent. The current analysis investigates the effect of dose on the efficacy of the rivastigmine transdermal patch. METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of a large, international, 24-week, randomised, placebo- and active-controlled trial (IDEAL, CENA713D2320) of rivastigmine in patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD). Patients received the 9.5 mg/24 h rivastigmine patch, the 17.4 mg/24 h rivastigmine patch, 12 mg/day rivastigmine capsules or placebo. Changes from baseline at week 24 on the AD Assessment Scale-cognitive subscale (ADAS-cog), AD Cooperative Study-Clinical Global Impression of Change (ADCS-CGIC) and the AD Cooperative Study-Activities of Daily Living (ADCS-ADL) scale were calculated based on the patient's mode and last prescribed patch dose. The analysis included the 4.6 mg/24 h and 13.3 mg/24 h patch doses, for which efficacy data have not previously been reported. RESULTS: Significant differences (p<0.05 vs. placebo) were seen on the ADAS-cog and ADCS-ADL for all mode rivastigmine patch doses (except 4.6 mg/24 h) and all last prescribed rivastigmine patch doses (except 4.6 mg/24 h and 13.3 mg/24 h). Patients with a last prescribed/mode patch dose of 9.5 mg/24 h and 13.3 mg/24 h showed significant improvements (p<0.05 vs. placebo) on the ADCS-CGIC. CONCLUSION: Rivastigmine patch doses higher than 9.5 mg/24 h may offer additional benefits. The 13.3 mg/24 h patch is worthy of further investigation.

Oxcarbazepine in migraine headache: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of oxcarbazepine (1,200 mg/day) vs placebo as prophylactic therapy for patients with migraine headaches. METHODS: This multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial consisted of a 4-week single-blind baseline phase and a 15-week double-blind phase consisting of a 6-week titration period, an 8-week maintenance period, and a 1-week down-titration period, after which patients could enter a 13-week open-label extension phase. During the 6-week titration period, oxcarbazepine was initiated at 150 mg/day and increased by 150 mg/day every 5 days to a maximum tolerated dose of 1,200 mg/day. The primary outcome measure was change from baseline in the number of migraine attacks during the last 28-day period of the double-blind phase. RESULTS: Eighty-five patients were randomized to receive oxcarbazepine and 85 to receive placebo. There was no difference between the oxcarbazepine (-1.30) and placebo groups in mean change in number of migraine attacks from baseline during the last 28 days of double-blind phase (-1.74; p = 0.2274). Adverse events were reported for 68 oxcarbazepine-treated patients (80%) and 55 placebo-treated patients (65%). The majority of adverse events were mild or moderate in severity. The most common adverse events (>or=15% of patients) in the oxcarbazepine-treated group were fatigue (20.0%), dizziness (17.6%), and nausea (16.5%); no adverse event occurred in more than 15% of the placebo-treated patients. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, oxcarbazepine was safe and well tolerated; however, oxcarbazepine did not show efficacy in the prophylactic treatment of migraine headaches.

Quistes del conducto tirogloso: revisión teórica y presentación de un caso de ubicación no cervical / Tyroglosic channel cysts: theoretic review at presentation of a non cervical location case

Los quistes del conducto tirogloso son las masas de cuello congénitas más frecuentes en la población pediátrica. La glándula tiroides inicia su desarrollo embriológico en el dia 24 de la gestación y alcanza su posición definitiva en el cuello en la séptima semana del desarrollo, tiempo en el cual el conducto tirogloso ha desaparecido. Si el tracto persiste se puede presentar un quiste del conducto tirogloso. Se presenta el caso de una niña de tres años, con un quiste del conducto tirogloso de ubicación infrecuente en la base de la lengua, resecado exitosamente por un abordaje transoral en la Fundación de la Misericordia. Quistes en esta localización representan solo el 1 por ciento de los quistes del conducto tirogloso y 1 por ciento a 2 por ciento de los casos presentan tejido tiroideo ectópico. Aunque el examen clínico es a menudo suficiente para el diagnóstico de estas lesiones, algunas veces es necesario recurrir a los estudios imagenológicos para la confirmación clínica e identificación de la glándula tiroides. La resección quirúrgica electiva por la técnica de Sistrunk es el tratamiento de elección para los quistes cervicales, con recurrencias hasta del 4 por ciento en manos expertas

[Selected passages from the clinical trials of Cordaflex]. / Szemelvények a Cordaflex család klinikai vizsgálataiból.

After a short review of the pharmacological characteristics of nifedipine this article presents a selection from the postmarketing clinical trials performed with Cordaflex (nifedipine) in Hungary. It summarizes the most favourable clinical effects and also the side effects observed with the different pharmaceutical formulations after short-term and long-term application.

[Excerpts from the clinical-pharmacologic and clinical studies of Grandaxin]. / Szemelvények a Grandaxin klinikai-farmakológiai és klinikai vizsgálataiból.

The authors give a selection from the clinical-pharmacological and clinical studies of Grandaxin (tofizopam), an original Hungarian compound registered in 1976. Tofizopam, a 2,3-benzodiazepine derivative, differs from "classical" 1,4-benzodiazepines not only in chemical structure, but also in pharmacological and clinical-pharmacological properties. It is an anxiolytic without sedative-hypnotic, muscle relaxant and anticonvulsive effects. Tofizopam does not impair psychomotor and intellectual performance, like other benzodiazepines do, in the contrary, it has a mild stimulatory activity. It is potent in alleviating vegetative symptoms accompanying anxiety disorders. Tofizopam has a very low toxicity, mild side effects. The administration of tofizopam does not lead to physical or psychic dependence.

[Formal thinking, logical-discursive operations and schizophrenia: experimental study of a clinical case]. / Pensée formelle, opérations logico-discursives et schizophrénie: étude expérimentale d'un cas clinique.

This study, based on a single case experimental design, examined logical reasoning in a schizophrenic meeting the DSM-III criteria. The quantitative assessment carried out by 32 psychiatrists on a rating scale for logical thinking disorders (nine items, six points) of the retranscribed clinical interview showed 1. that the assessments varied in a statistically significant way according to items and psychiatrists, and that these variations were independent of their degree of experience--the correlations between the different items of the rating scale proved to be weak and not significantly different from zero; and 2. the study of the most contradictory statements carried out by a logician using reasoning analysis procedures concluded that there were in fact logical relationships between the subjects the schizophrenic talked about. The results are discussed in relation to the methodology of assessing formal thought in schizophrenia.

Detection and determination of chlorophenols and chlorophenoxyacetic acids by instrumental analysis.

A quantitative method for the determination of chlorophenols and chlorophenoxyacetic acids in aqueous solutions is described. The samples investigated contained 2-chlorophenol, 2,4-dichlorophenol, 2,6-dichlorophenol, 2,4,6-trichlorophenol and their phenoxyacetic acid derivatives. The total amount of chlorophenols is determined by spectrophotometry, the ratio of individual chlorophenols by gas chromatography and the total quantity of phenoxyacetic acids by acidimetric titration. The determinations are carried out after extraction with diethyl ether, carbon tetrachloride and petroleum ether, respectively.