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The proton mean kinetic energy, Ke(H), of water confined in nanocavities of beryl (Be3Al2Si6O18) at 5 K was obtained by simulating the partial vibrational density of states from density functional theory based first-principles calculations. The result, Ke(H) = 104.4 meV, is in remarkable agreement with the 5 K deep inelastic neutron scattering (DINS) measured value of 105 meV. This is in fact the first successful calculation that reproduces an anomalous DINS value regarding Ke(H) in nano-confined water. The calculation indicates that the vibrational states of the proton of the nano-confined water molecule distribute much differently than in ordinary H2O phases, most probably due to coupling with lattice modes of the hosting beryl nano-cage. These findings may be viewed as a promising step towards the resolution of the DINS controversial measurements on other H2O nano-confining systems, e.g., H2O confined in single and double walled carbon nanotubes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mean atomic kinetic energies of the proton, Ke(H), and of the deuteron, Ke(D), were calculated in moderate and strongly hydrogen bonded (HB) systems, such as the ferro-electric crystals of the KDP type (XH2PO4, X = K, Cs, Rb, Tl), the DKDP (XD2PO4, X = K, Cs, Rb) type, and the X3H(SO4)2 superprotonic conductors (X = K, Rb). All calculations utilized the simulated partial phonon density of states, deduced from density functional theory based first-principle calculations and from empirical lattice dynamics simulations in which the Coulomb, short range, covalent, and van der Waals interactions were accounted for. The presently calculated Ke(H) values for the two systems were found to be in excellent agreement with published values obtained by deep inelastic neutron scattering measurements carried out using the VESUVIO instrument of the Rutherford Laboratory, UK. The Ke(H) values of the M3H(SO4)2 compounds, in which the hydrogen bonds are centro-symmetric, are much lower than those of the KDP type crystals, in direct consistency with the oxygen-oxygen distance ROO, being a measure of the HB strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mean atomic kinetic energies of the proton, Ke(H), and of the deuteron, Ke(D), were calculated in moderate and strongly hydrogen bonded (HB) systems, such as the ferro-electric crystals of the KDP type (XH2PO4, X = K, Cs, Rb, Tl), the DKDP (XD2PO4, X = K, Cs, Rb) type, and the X3H(SO4)2 superprotonic conductors (X = K, Rb). All calculations utilized the simulated partial phonon density of states, deduced from density functional theory based first-principle calculations and from empirical lattice dynamics simulations in which the Coulomb, short range, covalent, and van der Waals interactions were accounted for. The presently calculated Ke(H) values for the two systems were found to be in excellent agreement with published values obtained by deep inelastic neutron scattering measurements carried out using the VESUVIO instrument of the Rutherford Laboratory, UK. The Ke(H) values of the M3H(SO4)2 compounds, in which the hydrogen bonds are centro-symmetric, are much lower than those of the KDP type crystals, in direct consistency with the oxygen-oxygen distance ROO, being a measure of the HB strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reflection electron energy loss spectra from some insulating materials (CaCO3, Li2CO3, and SiO2) taken at relatively high incoming electron energies (5-40 keV) are analyzed. Here, one is bulk sensitive and a well-defined onset of inelastic excitations is observed from which one can infer the value of the band gap. An estimate of the band gap was obtained by fitting the spectra with a procedure that includes the recoil shift and recoil broadening affecting these measurements. The width of the elastic peak is directly connected to the mean kinetic energy of the atom in the material (Doppler broadening). The experimentally obtained mean kinetic energies of the O, C, Li, Ca, and Si atoms are compared with the calculated ones, and good agreement is found, especially if the effect of multiple scattering is taken into account. It is demonstrated experimentally that the onset of the inelastic excitation is also affected by Doppler broadening. Aided by this understanding, we can obtain a good fit of the elastic peak and the onset of inelastic excitations. For SiO2, good agreement is obtained with the well-established value of the band gap (8.9 eV) only if it is assumed that the intensity near the edge scales as (E - Egap)1.5. For CaCO3, the band gap obtained here (7 eV) is about 1 eV larger than the previous experimental value, whereas the value for Li2CO3 (7.5 eV) is the first experimental estimate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The He(Ne)/NaA-zeolite system was studied using temperature programmed desorption mass spectrometry (TPD-MS) with a supersonic molecular-beam inlet. Controllable, stable, and reversible entrapment of He and Ne by the β cages of NaA zeolite was experimentally achieved at ambient pressure and around 200 °C. Decapsulation of either He or Ne from NaA is shown to be of a doublet character, indicating on the occurrence of effectively two classes of β cavities: completely blocked cages, never previously observed, and partly blocked ones. The encapsulation of Ne and He in NaA is associated with the coupling of two reversible mechanisms governing the effective free aperture dimension, i.e., apertures thermal dilation and activated ion mobility. Characteristic admission temperatures between 130 °C and 200 °C, show highly selective sieving effect between He and Ne, suggesting its potential utilization for gas separation via a temperature swing practice and for a possible experimental realization of quantum sieving. © 2003 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Provides information on an experiment using nuclear resonance fluorescence to determine the 13C content of isotopic diamonds. Methodology used to conduct the experiment; Indepth look at nuclear resonance fluorescence; How the scattered photons were detected; Results of the experiment.

Presents a study which examined the GaAs/GaInAs/GaAs quantum-well structures grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition using high-resolution x-ray diffractrometry and photoluminescence techniques. Experimental procedure; Results of the study; Conclusions.

The proton mean kinetic energy Ke(H) in various systems was calculated between 5 and 320 K using a semi-empirical (SE) approach. The SE calculation relies on the harmonic approximation and decoupling between the various modes, where the input data of the internal and external frequencies were taken from inelastic neutron scattering (INS) and IR/Raman experiments. The studied systems included ordinary H2O phases, water of crystallisation in sulphate salts, adsorbed water and water confined in various samples of pore dimensions less than 20 Å. These included some zeolites, periodic mesoporous organosilicas (PMOs), beryl, Bikitaite and single- and double-wall carbon nanotubes. All SE calculated Ke(H) values were close to that of pure ice/liquid water, for which a good agreement was found with the deep inelastic neutron scattering (DINS) measurements. However, for water in Beryl at 5 K and ice in carbon nanotubes, at 170 K, large deviations from DINS results were found. Some insight into this problem may be gained by comparing those deviations with recently studied anharmonic systems involving proton double well potentials: Rb3H(SO4)2and KH2PO4, where an excellent agreement was obtained between SE calculations and DINS measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives/hypothesis: The traditional lateral-view cephalometric analysis is limited because it provides only two-dimensional analysis of the three-dimensional craniofacial structure. The objectives were to analyze lateral and frontal cephalometric radiographs in a series of normal patients and those with varying degrees of sleep-disordered breathing and to define the degrees of narrowing or other unfavorable anatomical changes that might differentiate the patients with sleep-disordered breathing from normal subjects. Study Design: A prospective study of 100 adult patients with sleep-disordered breathing and 60 age-matched normal subjects. Methods: An analysis of the lateral and frontal cephalometric measurements was performed to assess velopharyngeal anatomical features. A comparison was made between the patients' polysomnographic and cephalometric analyses. Results: The compromised cephalometric parameters that may be found in patients with sleep-disordered breathing include acute skull-base and bony nasopharynx angles, inferior hyoid position, thickening of the velum, reduced retrovelar posterior air space along with thickening of the velum, thickening of the posterior pharyngeal wall, and narrowing of the velopharyngeal lumen. Worsening of sleep-disordered breathing was generally associated with increased numbers of compromised cephalometric parameters. As body mass index increases, there is reduced velopharyngeal width, the velum thickness is increased, and the posterior pharyngeal wall thickness is increased. Conclusions: Sleep-disordered breathing is associated with statistically significant changes in a number of cephalometric measurements. Frontal cephalometric analysis adds further information regarding the anatomical assessment of patients with upper airway obstruction, enhancing the traditional lateral cephalometric view. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. Seizures may be the presenting manifestation of acute poisoning in children. Knowledge of the etiologic agent, or likely drug-class exposure, is crucial to minimize morbidity and optimize care. Objectives. To describe the agents most commonly responsible for pediatric drug-induced seizures, whose evaluation included a medical toxicology consultation in the United States. Methods. Using the 37 participating sites of the Toxicology Investigators Consortium (ToxIC) Case Registry, a cross-country surveillance tool, we conducted an observational study of a prospectively collected cohort. We identified all pediatric (younger than 18 years) reports originating from an Emergency Department (ED) which included a chemical or drug-induced seizure, and required a medical toxicology consultation between April 1, 2010 and March 31, 2012. Results. We identified 142 pediatric drug-induced seizure cases (56% male), which represent nearly 5% of pediatric cases requiring bedside consultation by medical toxicologists. One-hundred and seven cases (75%) occurred in children aged 13-18 years, and 86 (61%) resulted from intentional ingestions. Antidepressants were the most commonly identified agents ingested ( n = 61; 42%), of which bupropion was the leading drug ( n = 30; 50% of antidepressants), followed by anticholinergics/antihistamines ( n = 31; 22%). All antidepressant-induced seizures in teenagers were intentional and represented self-harm behavior. Sympathomimetic agents, including street drugs, represent the most common agents in children younger than 2 years ( n = 4/19). Conclusion. Antidepressants, and specifically bupropion, are presently the most common medications responsible for pediatric drug-induced seizures requiring medical toxicology consultation in the United States. In teenagers presenting with new-onset seizures of unknown etiology, the possibility of deliberate self-poisoning should be explored, since most drug-induced seizures in this age group resulted from intentional ingestion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oxygen isotopic exchange during dehydration and decomposition of five sulfate salt hydrates (CoSO·6HO, NiSO·7HO, ZnSO·7HO, CaSO·2HO, LiSO·HO) was studied in detail by temperature programmed desorption mass spectrometry (TPD-MS) in a supersonic molecular beam (SMB) inlet mode. Crystals of the O-enriched salts were grown and the detailed desorption steps of the various gaseous products released during dehydration and decomposition of these compounds were recorded. The desorption patterns confirmed the known characteristic stepwise dehydration of these salts, where regardless of the crystalline structure and composition, in all the salts (excluding the Li and Ca sulfates) a major group of n − 1 loosely bounded water of crystallization molecules (out of total of n molecules in the fully hydrated form) are released at adjacent temperatures in a typical low temperature range (<200 °C), while the last, most strongly bounded water molecule, consistently desorbs at relatively higher temperatures (240 < T < 440 °C). Interestingly, it is established that the oxygen isotopic exchange occurs exclusively between that latter, most strongly bound water molecule, and the salt anion. Remarkably, the results point out that the exchange process is mostly of solid-solid nature. Finally, the results point out that the probability of the isotopic exchange increases with the increment in the desorption temperature of the last dehydration step, i.e. with the bond strength in the monohydrate, between the last water molecule of crystallization and the cation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corticosteroids such as methylprednisolone (MP) remain the primary therapy for acute GVHD (aGVHD). Patients who are refractory to standard treatment (MP 2 mg/kg/day) may be treated with high-dose MP. This study evaluated the response to high-dose MP in children with aGVHD refractory to standard dose MP. Children who underwent hematopoietic SCT (HSCT) at our hospital between 1 June 2002 and 31 July 2006 and were treated with high-dose MP upon developing steroid-refractory aGVHD were included. Response to aGVHD therapy, adverse effects attributed to MP and overall outcomes were documented. Ten children received high-dose MP (20 mg/kg/day) on 3-5 consecutive days followed by a tapering dose for steroid-refractory aGVHD, at a median of 12 days after starting standard treatment. Nine patients had grade III aGVHD. Only one patient with grade III aGVHD had a complete response. Two patients had a partial response but flared when MP was tapered. Complications included hypertension (100%), hyperglycemia requiring insulin therapy (33%) and four documented severe infections. Five children (50%) died (median follow-up: 5.9 years). Salvage therapy other than high-dose MP should be considered in children who fail to respond to MP 2 mg/kg/day. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor in response to the article "Major psychological complications and decreased health-related quality of life among survivors of Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis," that was published in a previous issue of the journal is presented.

Klein T, Yaniv I, Stein J, Narinsky R, Finkelstein Y, Garty BZ. Extended family studies for the identification of allogenic stem cell transplant donors in Jewish and Arabic patients in Israel.Pediatr Transplantation 2004.© 2004 Blackwell MunksgaardHLA-identified donors are the best source of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplants, and are available in approximately 40% of cases. If no HLA-identical core family member is found, an extended family search may be performed. The aim of the study was to summarize the 10-year (1990–1999) experience of our tertiary care center with extended family donor search. During this period, 356 patients and 2659 of their family members were tissue-typed; 239 patients were Jewish (67%) and 117 were Arabic (33%). An HLA-identical core-family donor was identified for 168 patients (47%): 95 Jewish (40%) and 73 Arabic (62%) (p < 0.0001); 49 patients (14%) had more than one potential donor. An extended family search (grandmother/grandfather, aunts, uncles, etc.) was performed in 38 of the remaining families, which were found to be consanguineous: five Jewish and 33 Arabic. One HLA match was found in the Jewish families (20%) and 21 in the Arabic families (64%). The odds ratio for an Arabic patient to find a donor in the extended family search was 8.75, as opposed to a Jewish patient. Overall, HLA-matched donors were found by core and extended family search for 53% of the patients. The rate for Arabic patients was 80% and for Jewish patients, 40% (p < 0.001). This difference may be explained by the greater number of siblings and higher rate of consanguinity in the Arabic population. In conclusion, an extended family search for potential HLA-matched donors is worthwhile, especially in distinct ethnic populations with high consanguinity, such as Israeli Arabs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The health of heads of states is not always handled in the same way as an incapacitating disability in ordinary professionals. Instead of suspension of responsibilities, the health status of political leaders is concealed, especially when the illness is perceived as stigmatizing, such as organic mental impairment or sexual disorder. The objective of the present paper is to analyse the malady of Lenin (1870–1924) in the light of relevant and new medical information. It is hoped that this will accentuate the need for transparency when the health of a statesman is concerned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To study the lactic dehydrogenase isoenzyme values in children with simple and complex febrile convulsions.Methods: Cerebrospinal fluid samples were collected from 115 children, 57 with simple febrile convulsions, 27 with complex febrile convulsions and 31 with no neurological or intracranial pathology (controls). Lactic dehydrogenase activity and isoenzyme levels were measured on a Hitachi analyser.Results: Mean total lactic dehydrogenase activity was similar in the three groups. In the control group, lactic dehydrogenase-1 was the main fraction, followed by lactic dehydrogenase-2 and lactic dehydrogenase-3; only small percentages of lactic dehydrogenase-4 and lactic dehydrogenase-5 were detected. In the febrile convulsion group, the lactic dehydrogenase-1 fraction percentage was lower and lactic dehydrogenase-2, lactic dehydrogenase-3 percentages were higher than those in the control group; and the differences were statistically significant between the control and study groups (p < 0.01). Values of lactic dehydrogenase-4 and lactic dehydrogenase-5 were similar in all three groups.Conclusion: This is the first report on the lactic dehydrogenase isoenzyme pattern in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with simple and complex febrile convulsions. The important finding that focal and general febrile convulsions are not associated with cell damage and changes in aerobic and anaerobic metabolism as lactic dehydrogenase remained unchanged. Analysis of cerebrospinal fluid lactic dehydrogenase isoenzyme levels can assist clinicians in differentiating febrile convulsions from clinical situations that might mimic them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Clinical, dysentery is a severe presentation of an enteric infection. The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of a serious bacterial, etiology in clinical dysentery in hospitalized children and determine if children at high risk can be identified on the basis of clinical, or laboratory parameters. Patients and Methods: A prospective study design was used. The study population included 60 children admitted to our department with clinical dysentery over a 16-month period. Fresh stool specimens were collected on days 1, 2 and 3. The clinical. and laboratory data of the children were analyzed. Results: Clinical dysentery accounted for 1.7% of all pediatric hospitalizations during this period. Stool cultures were positive for Shigella spp. in 18 children (30%), and Salmonella spp. in 15 children (25%), Campylobacter jejuni was identified in one patient (2%). There were no significant differences in clinical characteristics or laboratory parameters between children with positive and negative stool cultures. Conclusion: 40% of the children hospitalized for clinical dysentery were eligible for antibiotic treatment. Early administration of empiric antibiotic treatment is justified in children hospitalized for clinical dysentery in Israel Clinical or laboratory parameters were unable to differentiate those with clinical dysentery at risk of serious bacterial pathogens in stool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Unlabelled: Acute meningococcal pericarditis is a rare clinical disorder. Our review of the literature disclosed that current classifications are confusing since they fail to differentiate between two distinct criteria: time and causality. We suggest a new classification of the various states of meningococcal pericarditis on the basis of the pathophysiological process: disseminated meningococcal disease with pericarditis (purulent, culture-positive, associated with meningococcal bacteraemia); isolated meningococcal pericarditis (purulent, culture-positive but without signs of meningeal or other clinical systemic involvement); and reactive meningococcal pericarditis (immunological, late-onset, culture-negative, resembling post-viral pericarditis). It is essential that clinicians recognize the various states of the disease, since they differ in natural history, treatment and prognosis.Conclusion: From personal experience and a literature review it emerges that meningococcal pericarditis should be classified as: (1) Pericarditis as local manifestation of disseminated meningococcal disease; (2) isolated meningococcal pericarditis; (3) reactive (immunopathic) meningococcal pericarditis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute meningococcal pericarditis is a rare clinical disorder. Our review of the literature disclosed that current classifications are confusing since they fail to differentiate between two distinct criteria: time and causality. We suggest a new classification of the various states of meningococcal pericarditis on the basis of the pathophysiological process: disseminated meningococcal disease with pericarditis (purulent, culture-positive, associated with meningococcal bacteraemia); isolated meningococcal pericarditis (purulent, culture-positive but without signs of meningeal or other clinical systemic involvement); and reactive meningococcal pericarditis (immunological, late-onset, culture-negative, resembling post-viral pericarditis). It is essential that clinicians recognize the various states of the disease, since they differ in natural history, treatment and prognosis.Conclusion From personal experience and a literature review it emerges that meningococcal pericarditis should be classified as: (1) Pericarditis as local mani festation of disseminated meningococcal disease; (2) isolated minengococcal pericarditis; (3) reactive (immunopathic) meningococcal pericarditis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was undertaken to determine if there is an association between increased titers of five different antiphospholipid antibodies (aPLA) in young patients' sera and the occurrence of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Antibodies to anticardiolipin (aCL), anti-phosphatidylserine (aPS), antiphosphatidylinositol (aPI), anti-phosphatidylcholine (aPC), and anti-phosphatidylethanol amine (aPEA) were measured in 214 patients (102 patients, 102 healthy controls and 10 patients with antiphospholipid syndrome). These antibodies were measured twice (within 4 h of onset of acute myocardial ischemic chest pain and 3 months after the myocardial infarction) by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).Elevated titers of four different aPLA were detected in 6.9% of all patients with AMI on hospitalization. Titers of aPLA in AMI were elevated in the younger age group <50 years old (P < 0.001) and in men only (not statistically significant). No correlation was found between the presence of aPLA and cardiovascular risk factors (smoking, hypertension, diabetes mellitus and hypercholesterolemia). Three of the seven patients with increased titers of aPLA did not have any other cardiovascular risk factors. The titers of aPLA were within normal range 3 months after AMI.Evidence of significantly elevated titers of different aPLA at the early stage of AMI suggests that these autoantibodies are present before the AMI and are not secondary to them. The disappearance of the elevated aPLA 3 months after AMI may be due to an absorption effect or possibly a cyclic phenomenon similarly found in other autoimmune diseases. aPLA may be an additional risk factor for AMI, and should especially be considered in a patient of the younger age group without apparent cardiovascular risk factors. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We calculated the proton kinetic energies Ke(H) of ice under high pressures up to 63 GPa by assuming the harmonic approximation. The input measured optical frequencies of vibration, libration, and translation of ice VII versus pressure as well as the H2O geometry and the distances ROH necessary for calculating Ke(H) (at 298 K) were taken from the literature. The resulting Ke(H) values were found to decrease gradually with increasing pressure, approaching the region where the H-atom is symmetrically hydrogen bonded between two oxygens in the OH-O system. Interestingly, the Ke(H) results were found to be consistent with those of other materials such as Rb3H(PO4)2 and KH2PO4 having similar ROH and ROO distances in the OH-O system. Similar calculations were also carried out for D2O. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 2-y-old girl with severe edema, oliguria and hypoalbuminemia caused by protein-losing gastritis was diagnosed with cytomegalovirus-associated Ménétrier's disease. After almost two weeks, during which the patient required repeated albumin transfusions, she was treated with intravenous ganciclovir. Within five days her condition had improved, and no additional albumin replacement was needed. Complete recovery was observed after several weeks. Conclusion: In patients with severe Ménétrier's disease, a course of ganciclovir treatment may be of benefit and should be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unlabelled: Various neurological disorders are associated with specific changes in the level of total lactic dehydrogenase and concentrations of its isoenzymes in the cerebrospinal fluid. We describe the lactic dehydrogenase isoenzyme values in children with hydrocephalus. Cerebrospinal fluid samples collected from 10 patients (2 to 16 mo) with hydrocephalus were analysed for total lactic dehydrogenase activity and lactic dehydrogenase isoenzymes. Findings were compared with those in samples from 15 paediatric patients, with normal results. Mean total lactic dehydrogenase activity in the cerebrospinal fluid was significantly higher in the patients with hydrocephalus (101 +/- 23.11 U/L) than in the controls (33.53 +/- 5.75 U/L) (p <0.001). In the control samples, lactic dehydrogenase-1 was the main fraction, followed by lactic dehydrogenase-2 and 3; only small concentrations of lactic dehydrogenase-4 and lactic dehydrogenase-5 were detected. By contrast, patients with hydrocephalus had lower concentrations of the lactic dehydrogenase-1 fraction and higher lactic dehydrogenase-2 and lactic dehydrogenase-3 concentrations, the differences between these results and those in the control group being statistically significant (p < 0.001). The values for lactic dehydrogenase-4 and lactic dehydrogenase-5 were similar in both groups.Conclusion: Findings should be considered together with computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound scans. The cerebrospinal fluid lactic dehydrogenase profile may prove to be an important predictor of cerebral injury, obstructive hydrocephalus and long-term neurodevelopmental problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human amniotic membranes have been used successfully for over 70 years for a wide range of surgical applications. This readily available, inexpensive, easily stored allograft has almost no antigenicity and has considerable antibacterial potential. Ability to reduce occurrence of exudate, adhesions, drying and scarring in surface defects are further properties of this remarkable membrane. Apart from specific otolaryngologic applications of amniotic membranes previously reported by our group, we use human amnion for overlaying epithelial defects after flap necrosis following surgery in the head and neck area, and in covering free skin graft donor regions, with good results. Properties of the human amniotic membrane are reviewed and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three unusual cases with astereognosis caused by cervical meningioma are presented. Astereognosis of subcortical origin has been reported several times. According to these reports, the causative lesion was confined to the area extending between the lower brain stem and the fourth cervical vertebra, thus suggesting that a sensory centre for stereognosis could be confined within these well defined anatomical limits, and that therefore a lesion in this area could lead to astereognosis. It is assumed in this paper that the lesion involves the sensory system of the Nucleus Cervicalis Lateralis. Fibres from the spinothalamic tract, a specialized sensory pathway, ascend from the palms of the hands to this nucleus. From this nucleus arise fibres which decussate and reach the Ventral Posterolateral Nucleus of the thalamus. It is likely that a lesion of the nucleus itself or its related sensory tracts may cause astereognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Describes the cutaneous manifestations of Henoch-Schonlein purpura in young children. Performance of skin biopsies; Description of Henoch-Schonlein purpura; Emphasis on the presence of edema in patients.

Background: Increased levels of lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) have been reported in association with several intracranial pathologies. No studies have been performed on patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS).Aims: To study LDH isoenzymes in CSF of children with GBS.Methods: CSF samples collected from nine patients with GBS were analysed for total LDH isoenzymes activity, and compared to samples from 15 patients with normal results.Results: Mean total LDH activity was 33.33 (6.63) U/l. All patients had significantly increased LDH-3 isoenzyme compared to controls. LDH-3 was the predominant fraction, accounting for more than 50% of total LDH activity and present in more than twice the percentage of LDH-1 or LDH-2. By contrast, in the control group, there were high percentages of mainly LDH-1 and LDH-2.Conclusions: GBS is apparently associated with a distinct LDH isoenzyme pattern in the CSF. More studies are needed to confirm the rise in LDH-3, as serial CSF analyses are unavailable, and to determine the optimum time of analysis when this finding first becomes detectable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the incidence of Guttate psoriaris in a 3.5-year-old boy during the course of Kawasaki disease (KD) in Israel. Causes of KD; Pathogenesis of psoriasis; Treatment of the infantile disease.