Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
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Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. · Jan 1988
ReviewMechanisms of virus-induced demyelination and remyelination.
Viral models of demyelination and remyelination provide important clues to the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis. Determining the precise viral polypeptides recognized by T cells during the demyelinating process will be important in understanding the mechanisms of viral-induced myelin destruction. Isolation, purification, and characterization of factors that promote remyelination and proliferation of oligodendrocytes may provide hope in the treatment of patients with chronic demyelinating disorders.
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Sudden infant deaths are the most common kind of death in infants aged between one month and one year. The unexpectedness, the legal investigation, and the absence of a convincing cause all have a devastating impact on bereaved parents, who look to health professionals for reassurance and explanation. Doctors and nurses may feel inadequate. ⋯ Parents need written information and the opportunity to talk with someone compassionate and informed about sudden infant deaths. Suggestions for doctors and nurses stress the importance of immediate support, early explanation of the postmortem report, and continued befriending by other suitable parents. Later counseling should be offered to discuss the care of future children and rebuild parental confidence.
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Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. · Jan 1988
Patients' experience of transvaginal follicle aspiration under local anesthesia.
The development of vaginal ultrasound transducers has facilitated ovum pick-up (OPU) by providing higher precision and less trauma than are found with laparoscopy and other ultrasound-assisted techniques. In order to evaluate the patients' acceptance, 65 patients were asked to answer a questionnaire about their experience with the procedure. The punctures were executed with specially designed needles introduced through a needle guide attached to a vaginal transducer with a frequency of 7 MHz (Brüel & Kjaer, Denmark). ⋯ In two cases the physician underestimated the patients' pain experience. The mean time required for the procedure was 16 min/OPU. We conclude that transvaginal ultrasound-guided OPU is well accepted by most patients under local anesthesia and that it is a rapid and accurate procedure.