The mortality rate from acute lung injury and the acute respiratory distress syndrome¹ is approximately 40 to 50 percent.²–⁴ Although substantial progress has been made in elucidating the mechanisms of acute lung injury,⁵ there has been little progress in ...

The human polyomaviruses BK virus and JC virus are nonenveloped viruses that have a diameter of 45 nm and a circular, double-stranded–DNA genome of 5300 bp.¹ Each of the two viruses is 70 percent homologous with the other and with simian virus 40 (SV40).¹ ...

The activation and aggregation of platelets are thought to be responsible for the development of thrombi that lead to ischemic events after percutaneous transluminal coronary revascularization (PTCR).¹ The aggregation of platelets is mediated by the ...

Infants with severe combined immunodeficiency who receive HLA-identical bone marrow or bone marrow stem cells from a family member with whom they share an HLA haplotype (HLA-haploidentical donors) that have been depleted of T cells, without chemotherapy ...

Figure 1. A 76-year-old man with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was admitted after a car accident. The initial clinical and radiographic evaluation showed no evidence of rib fractures or other chest trauma. Several hours later, his neck and upper ...

The acute respiratory distress syndrome is a common, devastating clinical syndrome of acute lung injury that affects both medical and surgical patients. Since the last review of this syndrome appeared in the Journal, ¹ more uniform definitions have been ...

In human tissues, normal homeostasis requires intricately balanced interactions between cells and the network of secreted proteins known as the extracellular matrix. These cooperative interactions involve numerous cytokines acting through specific cell-...

The acute respiratory distress syndrome is a form of noncardiogenic pulmonary edema that results from acute damage to the alveoli. Most patients with this syndrome will die if they do not receive supplemental oxygen and assisted ventilation. By reversing ...

Polyomavirus type BK (BK virus) is a nonenveloped virus with circular, double-stranded DNA that has 70 percent homology with simian virus 40. It was first recognized as a member of the polyomavirus family in 1971, after isolation from the urine of a renal-...

To the Editor: I was delighted that you treated us to a broad view of what was really important in medicine during the past millennium (Jan. 6 issue).¹ The editorial reminded me of Lester King's list of the “dozen who made a difference.”² To avoid a bias ...

To the Editor: Schrag et al. (Jan. 6 issue)¹ reported a striking 65 percent reduction in the rate of early-onset neonatal group B streptococcal infections in a population-based surveillance program conducted from 1993 to 1998 (a decrease from 1.7 per ...

To the Editor: Kaldjian et al. (Dec. 30 issue)¹ raise a much more important question than whether residents in internal medicine should “practice” the insertion of central venous catheters without consent. Consider the training of emergency-medicine ...

To the Editor: With one major exception, the two-part report by Bodenheimer and Casalino (Dec. 16 and Dec. 23 issues)¹ on the role of the managed-care medical director captures my personal experiences in that role. The main difference between my ...

To the Editor: Inulin is a fructan and storage carbohydrate found in more than 36,000 kinds of plants, including chicory, artichokes, and salsify. Inulin has been used as a food ingredient for many years, but it is only recently that the use of inulin ...

Anthrax, an ancient disease, was well known to the Greeks and Romans and was widespread in Europe for thousands of years. In the first chapter of this book, Guillemin cites Virgil, who describes in the Georgics how the disease spreads from animals to ...

Despite the fact that acute rheumatic fever has become rare almost everywhere in the United States (except in the Salt Lake City area) and in most of the rest of the developed world, interest in this historically important and clinically fascinating ...

What causes tuberculosis in humans? In the late 19th century, the German microbiologist Robert Koch thought the answer was unambiguous: the tubercle bacillus, which he discovered in 1882. Since then, Koch's laboratory model of the transmission of ...

In 1492, Columbus discovered the New World; one year later, the Old World discovered a new disease. And what a disease it was — starting with “painful pustules on private parts spreading to body and face, rashes, ulcers, buboes, black pustules, carbuncles,...

Effects of an Angiotensin-Converting–Enzyme Inhibitor, Ramipril, on Cardiovascular Events in High-Risk Patients Original Article, N Engl J Med 2000:342;145-153.. On pages 152 and 153, in the Appendix, L. di Gerogio should be spelled L. De Giorgio, and S. ...

Retinopathy and Nephropathy in Patients with Type 1 Diabetes Four Years after a Trial of Intensive Therapy Original Article, N Engl J Med 2000:342;381-389.. On page 382, the equation in line 8 of the third paragraph in the left-hand column should have ...