Adjuvant treatment with a symbiotic in patients with inflammatory non-allergic rhinitis.

Inflammatory non-allergic rhinitis (INAR) is characterized by the presence of an inflammatory infiltrate and a non-IgE-mediated pathogenesis. This retrospective, controlled, multicentre study investigated whether a symbiotic, containing Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM, Bifidobacterium lactis, and fructo-oligosaccharides (Pollagen®, Allergy Therapeutics, Italy), prescribed as adjunctive therapy to a standard pharmacological treatment, was able to reduce symptom severity, endoscopic features, and nasal cytology in 93 patients (49 males and 44 females, mean age 36.3±7.1 years) with INAR. The patients were treated with nasal corticosteroid, oral antihistamine, and isotonic saline. At randomization, 52 patients were treated also with symbiotic as adjunctive therapy, whereas the remaining 41 patients served as controls. Treatment lasted for 4 weeks. Patients were visited at baseline, after treatment, and after 4-week follow-up. Adjunctive symbiotic treatment significantly reduced the percentages of patients with symptoms and endoscopic signs, and diminished inflammatory cells. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates that a symbiotic was able, as adjuvant treatment, to significantly improve symptoms, endoscopic feature, and cytology in patients with INAR, and its effect may be long lasting.

Intranasal T-LysYal® as adjunctive therapy for patients after functional endoscopic sinus surgery.

Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery (FESS) is a common day surgery technique for upper airway disorders. Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a fundamental component of the human connective tissue. HA may exert reparative, anti-inflammatory and immune-modulating activities. Recently, a new intranasal HA formulation has been proposed: a supramolecular system containing lysine hyaluronate, thymine and sodium chloride (T-LysYal®). This randomized study investigated whether intranasal T-LysYal® (RinoLysYal®, Farmigea, Italy) was able to reduce symptom severity, endoscopic features, and nasal cytology in 83 patients (49 males and 34 females mean age 45.4±6.2 years) treated with FESS. All patients were treated with isotonic saline solution for 4 weeks, and a sub-group (active group) was also treated with intranasal T-LysYal®. Patients were visited at baseline, after treatment, and after 4-week follow-up. Intranasal T-LysYal® treatment significantly reduced the quote of patients with symptoms, endoscopic features, and inflammatory cells in comparison to isotonic solution. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates that intranasal T-LysYal® is able to significantly improve patients after FESS and its effect is long lasting.

Pregnancy outcomes and the use of two standards to assess adequacy of maternal body mass index in early gestation.

The maternal weight gain chart proposed by Rosso and Mardones (RM) was subsequently modified by Atalah et al. (AEA). Both charts are widely used in Latin America. The purpose of this study was to compare birth length (BL) and birth weight (BW) outcomes of both charts. A prospective study of pregnant women and their offspring's was performed in Santiago, Chile. From a total sample of 27,613 pregnant women a sub-sample of 11,465 term healthy singleton pregnant women was selected for additional analyses. κ statistics was used to study the degree of agreement of both charts in the diagnosis of maternal nutritional status. Obese and underweight women were classified using both standards at the beginning of pregnancy and compared in terms of BL4250 g proportions. Sensitivity and specificity values of at risk newborns, whose categories were considered as gold standard, were obtained for obese and underweight women of each chart. There was a moderate agreement in the nutritional classification of these charts. Proportions of BL4250 g were similar at each nutritional category; however, absolute figures for at risk newborns were much higher in the RM underweight and obese women. The RM chart showed higher sensitivity values than the AEA chart. The higher sensitivity of the RM chart would support its use for prevention purposes. This chart is advisable for Latin American countries and also for most developing countries.

Enhanced presence of NGF and mast cells number in nasal cavity after autologous stimulation: relation with sensorineural hearing deficit.

OBJECTIVE: Nerve growth factor (NGF) is a neurotrophin which promote and regulate the survival of neurons in the peripheral nervous system. We aimed to evaluate the nasal NGF expressions of mast cells in healthy patients after stimulation with sterilized isotonic solution delivered at high pressure. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The first part of the study was made with 21 voluntary individuals. The middle third of the inferior turbinate epithelial cells on the right nostril was scraped using a sterile curette and indicated as (pre), than a spray of sterilized isotonic solution at high pressure on the left nostril was delivered and 25 minutes later a similar stimulation was delivered on the same nostril. The stimulation was made with a specific spray. The middle third of the inferior turbinate epithelial cells on the left nostril was scraped using a sterile curette and indicated as (post). RESULTS: Forced nasal stress induced by local delivery of high pressure physiological solution causes an increase in the number of mast cells and enhances level of NGF in the nasal fluid compared to the control subjects. So based on the first part of our study, since NGF is universally known as effective in protection and repairing of neural cells damage, we started the second part and gave a treatment on the same patients, to increase NGF levels with a six months daily therapy and observed the variations in Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SNHL) and tinnitus intensity from the beginning to the end of the therapy. All patients received sterilized isotonic solution at high pressure (pression emission level: PEL): 7 g/sec for 0.5 sec (emission time: ET) in both nostrils. 25 minutes later a similar stimulation was delivered twice a day. The control group (21 pts) received normal therapy with betahistine dihydrochloride 16 mg twice a day. CONCLUSIONS: Upon acuphenometry, there was a lower intensity of tinnitus and the improvement was signaled by the patients. Patients with SNHL treated with conventional therapy had a slight worsening, while the patients treated with our new therapy which increased NGF levels, showed improvement of hearing. This new therapy represents a new therapy of SNHL, tinnitus and hearing disorders.

[The value of phonological analysis in speech therapy]. / Utilidad del análisis fonológico en la terapia del lenguaje.

INTRODUCTION: Phonological analysis is a system for assessing children's speech that was introduced by Ingram in 1976. Despite being acknowledged as one of the essential elements for understanding speech therapy intervention in speech disorders, it is not a wholly generalised practice due to the difficulties involved and the shortage of standardised instruments for performing it. DEVELOPMENT: Here, we examine the impact of phonological analysis on speech therapy intervention and the history of the instruments that have been developed over the years to perform it, both in English and in Spanish. The basic procedure for carrying out this kind of analysis is explained and we also present a software application that allows it to be performed automatically. CONCLUSIONS: We recommend making phonological analysis to assess children with language disorders a more widespread practice and also increasing the planning of adequate intervention programmes.

Utilidad del análisis fonológico en la terapia del lenguaje / The Value of phonological analysis in speech therapy

Introducción. El análisis fonológico es un sistema de evaluación del habla infantil introducido por Ingram en 1976. A pesar de ser reconocido como una de las piezas fundamentales para entender la intervención logopédica de los trastornos del habla, su práctica no está del todo generalizada, a causa de las dificultades que plantea y de la falta de instrumentos estandarizados para llevarlo a cabo. Desarrollo. Se analiza el impacto del análisis fonológico en la intervención logopédica y el desarrollo histórico de los instrumentos para realizarlo, tanto en lengua inglesa como española. Se explica el procedimiento básico para llevar a cabo este tipo de análisis y se presenta un programa informático para hacerlo de una forma automatizada. Conclusiones. Se propone aumentar la práctica del análisis fonológico para la evaluación de niños con trastornos del lenguaje y la planificación de programas precisos de intervención (AU)

Introduction. Phonological analysis is a system for assessing children’s speech that was introduced by Ingram in 1976. Despite being acknowledged as one of the essential elements for understanding speech therapy intervention in speech disorders, it is not a wholly generalised practice due to the difficulties involved and the shortage of standardised instruments for performing it. Development. Here, we examine the impact of phonological analysis on speech therapy intervention and the history of the instruments that have been developed over the years to perform it, both in English and in Spanish. The basic procedure for carrying out this kind of analysis is explained and we also present a software application that allows it to be performed automatically. Conclusions. We recommend making phonological analysis to assess children with language disorders a more widespread practice and also increasing the planning of adequate intervention programmes (AU)

La teoría metafonológica: un enfoque lingüístico-computacional / No disponible

El objetivo de este artículo es abordar el problema de las dificultades fonológicas en niños y jóvenes a través de la teoría metafonológica y describir el funcionamiento de este enfoque. El enfoque está basado en los procesos fonológicos y permite intervenir afectando la reorganización cognitiva de fonemas y palabras. La intervención sobre un fonema se generaliza a otros que comparten el mismo proceso fonológico aunque éstos no pertenezcan al inventario fonético del niño. En el marco de un proyecto interdisciplinar de ciencias cognitivas (sobre fonología computacional y mecanismos computacionales para modelar los procesos fonológicos) que ha visto involucrados logopedas clínicos así como profesorado universitario de diferentes áreas relacionadas con el lenguaje, se ha desarrollado un sistema de ayuda al logopeda que permite un análisis asistido por ordenador de los datos fonológicos. Este artículo presenta un enfoque lingüistico-computacional del estudio realizado en la universidad irlandesa de Trinity College de Dublín (AU)

The aim of this paper is to approach the phonological disorders problem in children and young adults using the Metaphon theory and to describe the behaviour of this approach. The approach is based on the phonological processes and permits to intervene to affect the cognitive reorganisation of phonemes and words. The intervention over a phoneme brings to the generalisation to other phonemes which share the same phonological process, even if these do not belong to the phonetic inventory of the child. In the context of a cognitive science interdisciplinar project (on computational phonology and computational mechanisms for modelling phonological processes) in which were involved speech and language therapists as well as university teaching staff of different language areas, a support system was developed in order to help the linguistic clinician with a computer assisted phonological data analysis. This paper presents a computational-linguistic approach of the study which was carried out at the Irish University of Trinity College Dublin (AU)

Surgery of otosclerosis in the elderly.

Auditory results following stapes surgery in 26 patients with otosclerosis >60 years of age at the time of surgery were compared with those obtained in 140 patients <60 years undergoing stapes surgery during the same time period. Stapedotomy was performed in all cases. The mean follow-up period was 29 months. Hearing results as judged by postoperative air-bone gaps were as good in the older age group as in the younger patients. Moreover, complications of surgery, such as postoperative formation of perilymphatic fistula, did not occur more frequently in elderly vs younger patients. On the basis of the results obtained, it is concluded that stapes surgery should be offered to elderly patients with the same indications as younger patients with otosclerosis.

Current role of radiotherapy in the treatment of locally advanced laryngeal carcinomas.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: During the past few years, radiotherapy (RT) has been increasingly used in combination with surgery in the treatment of locally advanced laryngeal carcinomas to improve survival rates in patients with more extensive tumors. METHODS: This is a retrospective study of a large series of stage III and IV laryngeal carcinomas, and postoperative RT was indicated for some of these cases. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 380 patients with stage III and IV tumors, of which 163 (43%) underwent surgery only and 217 (57%) received surgery and postoperative RT. RESULTS: The survival rates of patients who underwent surgery and RT were comparable to those of patients who underwent surgery only, but the former group was composed of subjects suffering from negative prognostic factors. CONCLUSIONS: The indications for combined treatment should be correlated with the prognostic factors to increase the survival rate of patients with stage III and IV laryngeal carcinoma.

Incidence and Impact of Swiss Needle Cast in Forest Plantations of Douglas-fir in Coastal Oregon.

An epidemic of Swiss needle cast, caused by the ascomycete Phaeocryptopus gaeumannii, is causing defoliation and growth reductions in Douglas-fir forest plantations along the Oregon Coast. The area of symptomatic plantations has been monitored annually since 1996 by aerial survey; in spring 1999, 119,500 ha were affected. Pathogen and symptom development have also been monitored on nine permanent plots in stands of differing disease severity. Infection levels and symptom severity are greatest in low elevation plantations close to the coast. In areas of severe disease, trees retain only current year needles. Defoliation is proportional to the number of stomata occluded by pseudothecia of the fungus, with needles being shed when about 50% of stomata are occupied, regardless of needle age. Fungus sporulation and premature needle abscission are greatest on the upper branches of trees. Annual application of fungicides increases needle retention significantly. Tree height and diameter growth and total tree volume are reduced by disease, and tree volume is significantly correlated with needle retention on our plot trees. The epidemic continues to be most severe in Douglas-fir plantations established on sites where Sitka spruce and western hemlock or red alder predominated in earlier times.

Long-term nitric oxide synthase inhibition in rat pregnancy reduces renal kallikrein.

This study was performed to test the hypothesis that long-term nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibition during pregnancy may alter the predominance of the vasodilator kallikrein system. Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with the competitive inhibitor of NOS N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA, 50 mg. kg(-1). d(-1), dissolved in water) from days 7 to 21 of pregnancy. Rats were studied before treatment (day 5), at days 11, 17, and 21 of pregnancy (during treatment), and at postpartum days 7 and 21 (after the drug was withdrawn at delivery). Each group (n=5 to 8) had its corresponding control group (C) that received only vehicle. Additional rats were treated with N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) alone or with an excess of L-arginine. At each study day, we measured blood pressure, collected urine overnight, obtained blood samples, and processed the kidneys for conventional histology and immunohistochemistry. In L-NNA rats, fetal and placental weights were reduced at days 17 and 21. Blood pressure was higher at days 17 and 21, returning to normal after L-NNA was removed. Urinary kallikrein activity was lower at days 11 and 17 (L-NNA=1147+/-213 and C=2317+/-146 nmol/16 h, P<0.001). Plasma renin activity was reduced at day 21 (L-NNA=9.6+/-2.1 and C=25.9+/-5 ng x mL(-1) x h(-1), P<0.05) and remained lower at postpartum day 7 x L-NNA rats exhibited glomerular lesions and tubular atrophy, particularly of connecting tubules that displayed reduced kallikrein staining. Tubulointerstitial infiltrating macrophages (ED1+) were also observed. Renal lesions were present as early as day 11 and persisted at day 7 postpartum. L-NAME rats exhibited similar alterations that were attenuated with an excess of L-arginine. We postulate that the reduction in renal kallikrein may contribute to the hemodynamic alterations described in this model.

Maternal factors modulate the increase in vasoactive substances during rat pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE: To explore if the changes in vasoactive substances observed during early pregnancy in the rat are modulated by maternal or fetoplacental factors. METHODS: Urinary excretion of cGMP, 6-keto-prostaglandin-F1 alpha (6-keto-PGF1 alpha), thromboxane B2 and kallikrein activity was measured in pregnant (P, n = 11), pseudopregnant (PSP, n = 12), and virgin (n = 13) rats and in ovariectomized virgin rats supplemented with slow-release pellets containing either progesterone (50 mg/pellet) or estradiol (0.5 mg/pellet) or a combination of both hormones, for 21 days. RESULTS: The cGMP excretion was higher in PSP rats than in virgin rats at day 5 (virgin = 82 +/- 7, P = 93 +/- 5, PSP = 110 +/- 8 nmol/24 h, p < 0.05); at day 10, values were significantly increased in P and PSP rats. 6-keto-PGF1 alpha excretion was similarly elevated in P and PSP rats at day 5 (virgin = 120 +/- 10, P = 160 +/- 10, and PSP = 174 +/- 14 ng/24 h, p < 0.01). This trend was still present at day 10. Thromboxane B2 excretion showed a nonsignificant increase in P and PSP rats in day 5; at day 10, values were significantly elevated in both experimental groups (virgin = 23 +/- 2, P = 32 +/- 4, and PSP = 32 +/- 2 ng/24 h, p < 0.05). Kallikrein excretion was significantly increased in PSP and P rats at days 5 and 10. Estradiol or progesterone administration caused a significant decrease in serum aldosterone and an increase in urinary kallikrein activity. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that during the first half of rat pregnancy, the increment in vasoactive substances is modulated by maternal and not by fetoplacental factors.

[Reduced plasma volume and changes in vasoactive hormones in underweight pregnant women]. / Disminución del volumen plasmático y cambios en hormonas vasoactivas en embarazadas de bajo peso.

BACKGROUND: Pregnant women with low weight/height (wt/ht) have lower plasma volume and reduced birth weight than women with normal wt/ht. AIM: To explore the hormonal mechanisms involved in these alterations. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Plasma volume, and several hormones related to plasma volume regulation were determined in 24 near term pregnant women with low wt/ht and in 30 with normal wt/ht. RESULTS: Newborns's weight, height and ponderal index were reduced in the low wt/ht group. Plasma volume (3042 +/- 101 vs 3631 +/- 101 ml, p < 0.001); plasma renin activity (7.5 +/- 0.9 vs 11.1 +/- 0.9 ng/ml/h, p < 0.01) and aldosterone (428 +/- 47 vs 710 +/- 58 pg/ml, p < 0.001) were significantly reduced in the low wt/ht group. Similar reductions were observed in serum estradiol and progesterone levels. Urinary kallikrein activity (354 +/- 112 vs 824 +/- 134 nmoles/24 h, p < 0.05), 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha (561 +/- 90 vs 1121 +/- 165 ng/24 h, p < 0.05) and thromboxane B2 (110 +/- 29 vs 280 +/- 29 ng/24 h, p < 0.05) were also reduced in low wt/ht women. CONCLUSIONS: We postulate that the reduced levels of vasoactive hormones observed in pregnant women with low wt/ht may interfere with plasma volume expansion and, in turn, cause low birth weight.

Maternal body composition near term and birth weight.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the relative influence of maternal body composition at late gestation on birth weight. METHODS: Maternal body composition was estimated in 224 women near term using a deuterium dilution technique. Using a stepwise multiple linear regression analysis, we studied the association with birth weight of eight factors, including maternal fat-free mass and fat mass. RESULTS: Maternal fat-free-mass was the most important variable influencing birth weight (R2 = .144, P < .001), followed by maternal fat mass (R2 = .051, P < .001). Gestational age at delivery was the third strongest influence on birth weight (R2 = .047, P < .001). CONCLUSION: In late pregnancy, fat-free mass was the most important maternal body component associated with birth weight. The implementation of longitudinal studies could shed more light on the influence of maternal body composition on birth weight.

[Undergraduate curriculum reform at the Pontifical Catholic University Medical School: aims, methodology and advance status]. / Reforma del curriculum de pregrado en la Escuela de Medicina de la Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile: objetivos, metodología y estado de avance.

The Medical School of the Pontifical Catholic University is devoted to a reform process aiming to adequate undergraduate training to scientific, technological, cultural and social changes in medical practice in Chile and to incorporate novel teaching methodology. One of the main modifications is the change of the resulting professional from "a general physician capable of resolving most medical problems of rural or urban populations" to "a physician with a solid general training but qualified for a subsequent specialization". This requires curricular flexibility to obtain different professional profiles. Other important changes are a reduction in curricular contents and their vertical and horizontal integration, modernization of teaching methodologies with the incorporation of computing techniques and problem oriented teaching and the incorporation of new subjects such as molecular biology, clinical genetics, health economics. To achieve these objectives, a semi-flexible curriculum was devised, the curricular mesh has been modified extensively, an outpatient and a nine months elective internship were added. Most modifications have been implemented, remaining changes in 4th and 5th years. These changes required a reorganisation of academic structure, the use of new selection, training and perfecting criteria for teachers, better salaries for outstanding professors and improvement of teaching infrastructure. This reform must be seen as a medium term integral change in the context of an integral academic development plan.