Giant Meckel's diverticulum

A case of incomplete intestinal obstruction caused by a giant Meckel's diverticulum in a 13-year-old girl is reported. Short resection of the ileum with the diverticulum and end-to-end anastomosis was carried out. The possibilities of diagnosis and treatment as well as the controversial classification of this rare congenital anomaly are discussed.

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in childhood

ERCP was performed in 19 children and adolescents aged 4 to 16 years. In 13 children the examination was done under general anesthesia, in 6 cases with the usual premedication using dolsin and atropine. Indications for examination were unclear abdominal pain with occasional amylase elevation, in 3 patients status after an abdominal injury. In 16 patients the examination clarified the complaints by detecting organic disease of the gallbladder or the pancreas. ERCP is an important procedure in the event of uncertain diagnosis in children and adolescents and, if the indication is correct, and the technique good, is well tolerated by the patients.

[The significance of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in the diagnosis of pancreatic injuries in children]

The condition of the main pancreatic duct determines very probably in a decisive way the fate of posttraumatic pancreatic pseudocysts and acute pancreatic injuries. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography is the only diagnostic method which makes possible to evaluate the condition of this duct. The authors performed ERCP in three children, in two of them an internal drainage of the pseudocyst was carried out on account of verified ductal rupture. In the third girl, after evidence of an intact main pancreatic duct, conservative therapy was successfully applied. In the discussion the authors summarize data from the literature regarding the use of ERCP in the preoperative diagnosis of posttraumatic pancreatic pseudocysts and acute pancreatic injuries. The authors consider ERCP a method which renders the diagnosis of posttraumatic pancreatic pseudocysts and acute pancreatic injuries more accurate.

[Air gun injuries in children]

The authors describe four cases of air rifle child injuries. One was a potentially lethal injury, a penetrating wound of the transverse colon and injury to the stomach. During urgent laparotomy the perforations of the gastrointestinal tract were sutured. In the remaining three children the injuries were less serious and affected soft tissues. In the discussion the authors summarize data from the literature concerning injuries to the head, neck, chest, abdomen and extremities, incl. lethal injuries. In instances when a penetrating abdominal injury cannot be ruled out, the authors emphasize the necessity of urgent laparotomy and surgical treatment of possible intraabdominal lesions. In injuries to other parts of the body a strictly individual procedure focused on repair of the injury is indicated. The authors also emphasize prevention of these injuries by adherence to safety during shooting and other manipulations with arms an air rifle must not be a toy for children and adolescents unless they are supervised by a responsible adult.

[Acalculous gangrenous cholecystitis in a toddler]

The authors describe a case of acute gangrenous cholecystitis in a 17-month-old boy manifested by symptoms of an inflammatory acute abdomen after several days of a febrile condition associated with diarrhoea. Cholecystectomy was performed and after antibiotic and infusion therapy a noncomplicated postoperative development followed. Five years after operation the boy has no subjective complaints. In the discussion the authors analyze the incidence, aetiopathogenesis, clinical, laboratory and X-ray findings of this rare disease. For the therapy of advanced cholecystitis the authors recommend cholecystectomy.

[Ileus in an infant caused by a ventriculoperitoneal shunt]

The authors describe a case of adhesive ileus caused by the intraperitoneal part of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt which was performed on account of congenital hydrocephalus. Preserving the patency of the ventriculoperitoneal drainage, the ileus was treated according to principles of abdominal surgery. The functional catheter was left in situ. Complete intestinal occlusion is one of the very rare intraabdominal complications of ventriculoperitoneal shunt. In the discussion the authors analyze available data from the literature on intestinal occlusion with the above aetiology.

Bis(monoazacrown ethers) with an electron-donating substituent at the hinge: A pronounced participation of hydroxyl group in formation of sodium ion sandwich complexes

Sodium ion complex formation has been investigated potentiometrically in four homologous bis(crown) series I-IV differing by the nature of substituent placed at the linking trimethylene chain (X = OH, OCH3, OCH2C6H5 and H respectively). A marked enhancement of the complex stability has been observed in the bis(crown) series I and attributed to participation of the lateral hydroxyl group in the sandwich complex formation. Evidence in support of the sandwich structure has been provided (i) by analysis of the potentiometric data indicating a 1:1 complex stoichiometry and (ii) by a comparison of the complex stability data from the bis(crown) series I with the corresponding values from related monocyclic ligand series V, VI and VII revealing a pronounced cooperation of both macrorings in the sodium ion-bis(crown) I complex formation.

[Microbiological quality of dried milk products for child nutrition in Czechoslovakia]

In the course of four years, 20 175 samples of milk powder products for baby foods were examined. On an average, 1.18% of the products did not comply with the requirements of the Czechoslovak State Standards. Total microbe number higher than required by the standard was found in 0.36% of the samples, on an average, higher counts of enterococci in 1.02%; coliform micro-organisms were found in 0.78% of the samples. Staphylococci and salmonellae were absent. Moulds were present in 34 samples (Aspergillus flavus without the production of aflatoxin).

Interaction of phenosafranine with nucleic acids and model polyphosphates. I. Self-aggregation and complex formation with inorganic polyphosphates

Aggregation of phenosafranine in concentrated aqueous solutions and interaction with polyphosphates was studied by absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. At concentrations greater than 10(-3)M phenosafranine forms dimers (Kd = 3.8 x 10(2) 1.mole-1), which are characterized by a hypsochromic shift of the visible and near ultraviolet absorption maxima accompanied by a hypochromic effect. No fluorescence could be detected from phenosafranine dimers. Analogues spectra changes were observed when a polyphosphate was titrated with phenosafranine, which indicated that with increasing saturation of the polyphosphate binding sites phenosafranine gradually became bound in the aggregated form. Full saturation of the polyphosphate binding sites with phenosafranine was reached only when an excess of free dye was present. The cooperative binding of phenosafranine to a polyphosphate could be evaluated by means of a theory proposed by Schwarz et al. At the zero ionic strength and at 25 degrees C the binding was characterized by cooperative binding constant K = 6.2 x 10(5) 1.mole-1, number of binding sites per monomeric phosphate residue g = 0.4, and cooperativity parameter q-30. Spectroscopic properties of phenosafranine in the aggregated and polyphosphate-bound states were compared with those of ethidium bromide.

Interaction of phenosafranine with nucleic acids and model polyphosphates. I. Self-aggregation and complex formation with inorganic polyphosphates

Aggregation or phenosafranine in concentrated aqueous solutions and its interaction with polyphosphates was Studied by absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. At concentrations > 10(-3) M phenosafranine forms dimers (Kd = 3.8 x 10(2) l.mole(-1)), which are characterized by a hypsochromic shift of the visible and near ultraviolet absorption maxima accompanied by a hypochromic effect. No fluorescence could be detected from phenosafranine dimers. Analogous spectral changes were observed when a polyphosphate was titrated with phenusafranine, which indicated that with increasing saturation of the polyphosphate binding sites phenosafranine gradually became bound in the aggregated form. Full saturation of the polyphosphate binding sites with phenosafranine was reached only when an excess of free dye was present. The cooperative binding of phenosafranine to a polyphosphate could be evaluated by means of a theory proposed by Schwarz et al. At the zero ionic strength and at 25 degrees C the binding was characterized by cooperative binding constant K = 6.2 x 10(5) l.mole(-1), number of binding sites per monomeric phosphate residue g = 0.4, and cooperativity parameter q reverse similar 30. Spectroscopic properties of phenosafranine in the aggregated and poly phosphate-bound stotes were compared with those of ethidium bromide.

A compact form of double-stranded RNA in solutions containing poly(ethyleneglycol)

Molecules of single-stranded ribosomal RNA and double-stranded replicative form of phage f2 RNA (dsRNA) adopt a compact form in solutions, containing sufficiently high concentrations of salt (NaCl) and polymer (PEG). However, only in the cases of native dsRNA molecules the compact particles are characterized by a regular internal structure, which accounts for the appearance of an intense positive band in CD spectra. Heating or acidification of PEG-containing solutions of dsRNA leads to the disappearance of the intense positive CD band, which results from the "destruction" of the regular internal structure of compact particles. Comparison of properties of DNA and dsRNA compact particles formed in PEG-containing water-salt solutions suggests the existence of similar mechanisms of compactization of double-stranded polynucleotides.

Mechanism of the mutagenic action of hydroxylamine. VIII. Functional properties of the modified adenosine residues

The action of O-methylhydroxylamine in vitro upon some amber and rII ochre mutants of T4 phage leads to a considerable increase in the frequency of reversions and conversions of ochre and opal mutants presumably due to A yields G transitions. The transitions seem to be caused by modification of the adenine bases of the genome to give N-6-methoxyadenine which has equivocal (A- and G-like) specificity. However, the functional activity of N-6-methoxyadenosine residues in the RNA polymerase system is low. We failed to detect any significant activity of these residues either as components of a template polyribonucleotide, or as nucleoside triphosphate precursors.