SUMMARY The effect of different treatment regimes on intracranial pressure (ICP), degree of hydrocephalus and clinical outcome was evaluated in 81 children with tuberculous meningitis. 24 children underwent CSF shunting, while 57 with communicating hydrocephalus were randomly assigned to three treatment groups: antituberculous drugs only; or additional intrathecal hyaluronidase or oral acetazolamide and furosemide in addition to antituberculous treatment. The addition of acetazolamide and furosemide was significantly more effective in achieving normal ICP than antituberculous drugs alone. No difference was found in mortality or number of disabled survivors between groups. Of those surviving, nearly two‐thirds with stage II tuberculous meningitis were mildly disabled and nearly one‐half with stage III were severely disabled at follow‐up, emphasising the need for early diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis in the young child. RÉSUMÉ Hydrocéphalie tuberculeuse: une comparaison des effeets de différents traitements concernant la pression intra‐cranienne, la taille ventriculaire et le devenir clinique Les effets de différents traitements sur la pression intra‐cranienne (ICP), le degré d'hydrocéphalie et le devenir clinique ont étéévalués chez 80 enfants présentant une méningite tuberculeuse. 24 enfants bénéficièrent d'un shunt du liquide céphalo‐rachidien, tandis que 57, avec hydrocéphalie communicante étaient répartis au hasard entre trois groupes de traitements: médication antituberculeuse seule; association avec la hyaluronidase intrathécale; et association au traitement antituberculeux d'acétazolamide orale et de furosémide. L'association acétazolamide‐furosémide était significativement plus efficace pour maintenir une ICP normale que la médication antituberculeuse seule. Aucune différence n'a été notée en terme de mortalité ou de nombre de survivants avec séquelles entre les groupes. Parmi les survivants, près des 2/3 au stage II présentaient un handicap modéré et près de la moitié au stage II sont apparus gravement atteints au suivi, ce qui souligne la nécessité d'un diagnostic précoce de méningite tuberceuleuse chez l'enfant. Tuberkulös bedingter Hydrozephalus: ein Vergleich verschiedener Behandlungsprotokolle im Hinblick auf ICP. VentrikelegrösZe und klinischem Outcome Bei 81 Kindern mit tuberkulöser Meningitis wurde der Einfluß verschiedener Behandlungsprotokolle auf den intrakraniellen Druck (ICP), den Schweregrad des Hydrozephalus und den klinischen Outcome untersucht. 24 Kinder bekamen ein Ventil, während 57 Kinder mit kommunizierendem Hydrozephalus willkürlich in drei Behandlungsgruppen eingeteilt wurden: nur antituberkulöse Medikamente; zusätzlich Hyaluronidase intrathekal; und oral Acetazolamid und Furosemid zusätzlich zur antituberkulösen Therapie. Die Normalisierung des ICP wurde signifikant besser durch die Zugabe von Acetazolamid und Furosemid als nur, durch antituberkulöse Medikamente erreicht. Bei der Mortalität und der Anzahl der geschädigten Überlebenden fand sich kein Unterschied zwischen den Gru...

Fourier transform near infrared (FT-NIR) spectroscopy was used successfully to determine the kernel hardness, protein and moisture content of a single sample set of whole wheat flour. The hardness calibration was derived by performing partial least square (PLS) regression on baseline corrected data and using the particle size index (PSI) test as reference method. Both the protein and moisture calibrations were derived by performing PLS regression on multiplicative scatter corrected (MSC) and baseline corrected data. In all cases, the calibration models were subsequently tested by means of independent validation procedures. Good calibration and prediction results were obtained for all three characteristics. Standard error of prediction (SEP), root mean standard error of prediction (RMSEP) and correlation coefficient (r) values of 2.13%, 4.53% and 0.42, respectively, were obtained for the hardness calibration. Corresponding results for the protein and moisture calibrations were 0.51%, 1.16%, 0.81 and 0.15%, 0.38% and 0.85, respectively. The FT-NIR protein and moisture results of this study compare satisfactorily with results achieved in previous FT-NIR studies. No other FT-NIR wheat hardness results have been reported elsewhere, but results of this study compare well to those achieved in other NIR wheat hardness studies.

The therapeutic potential of non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs in clinical asthma is offset by the real possibility of hypersensitivity and induction of severe airways obstruction. The influence of indomethacin on the antigen-induced asthmatic response was tested. Early and delayed asthmatic responses were recorded after antigen challenge in 13 subjects. Indomethacin pretreatment totally or partially inhibited the delayed asthmatic response in 10 of 11 subjects. Inhibition by indomethacin of products of the arachidonic cascade which participate in the pathogenesis of the delayed asthmatic response could explain this phenomenon. A similar therapeutic response was documented without adverse drug reactions when five subjects were restudied after several months. In the same group the early asthmatic response was suppressed in six, enhanced in two and unchanged in four of 12-subjects. This variable response indicates that spasmogenic prostaglandin breakdown products may be important for certain individuals, but are generally of less importance in the early asthmatic response. Clinical trials with indomethacin as a steroid saving agent in allergic asthma appear feasible and can be conducted safely.

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