RATIONALE Lymphatic vessels in the respiratory tract normally mature into a functional network during the neonatal period, but under some pathological conditions they can grow as enlarged, dilated sacs that result in the potentially lethal condition of pulmonary lymphangiectasia. OBJECTIVE We sought to determine whether overexpression of the lymphangiogenic growth factor (vascular endothelial...

The Consumer Price Index is a good index for its intended purpose-a measure of average price changes in the goods and services that consumers purchase . Some of the complaints made-that the CPI does not reflect the price changes for this or that group properly-are a misinterpretation of the purpose of the CPI and would not provide desirable guidelines for revising the index. Nor would any of th...

BACKGROUND Metered dose inhalers (MDIs) are not easy to use well. Every MDI user receives a manufacturer's patient information leaflet (PIL). However, not everyone is able or willing to read written information. Multimedia offers an alternative method for teaching or reinforcing correct inhaler technique. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to compare the effects of brief exposure to the same...

The determination of extremely small quantities of DNA from complex biological sample matrices represents a significant bottleneck in nucleic acid analysis. In this study, polymeric ionic liquid (PIL)-based solid-phase microextraction (SPME) was applied for the extraction and purification of DNA from crude bacterial cell lysate with subsequent quantification by real-time PCR (qPCR) analysis. Us...

The Purpose-in-Life Test (PIL) was developed by Crumbaugh and Maholick (2) to measure sense of meaning and purpose in life. A low score represents Viktor Frankl's concept of existential vacuum (1), emptiness of perceived meaning in personal existence. Three validity studies have been reported so far. Crumbaugh (1) found the PIL to discriminate between "normal" and psychiatric groups, and betwee...

An 8 year old girl with recurrent upper gastrointestinal bleeding was found to have localised duodenal lymphangiectasia by fibreoptic endoscopy. She did not show physical signs or laboratory evidence of significant enteric protein loss. A low fat diet seemed to prevent further bleeding. Duodenal lymphangiectasia may be associated with gastrointestinal bleeding in children.

BACKGROUND The transforaminal (TF) epidural steroid injection (ESI) is suggested as more effective than the interlaminar (IL) route due to higher delivery of medication at the anterior epidural space. However, serious complications such as spinal cord injury and permanent neural injury have been reported. The purpose of this study is to evaluate and compare the clinical effectiveness, technical...

THE ESOPHAGUS Anatomy Congenital Disorders Tracheoesophageal Fistula Rings and Webs Esophageal Diverticula Motor Disorders Achalasia Scleroderma Hiatal Hernia Esophagitis Reflux Esophagitis Barrett Esophagus Eosinophilic Esophagitis Infective Esophagitis Chemical Esophagitis Esophagitis of Systemic Illness Iatrogenic Cancer of Esophagitis Esophageal Varices Lacerations and Perforations Neoplasm...

It was recently shown that haloarchaeal strains of different genera are able to adhere to surfaces and form surface-attached biofilms. However, the surface structures mediating the adhesion were still unknown. We have identified a novel surface structure with Halobacterium salinarum strain R1, crucial for surface adhesion. Electron microscopic studies of surface-attached cells frequently showed...