Use of fab fragments of digoxin-specific antibodies in the therapy of massive digoxin poisoning

A case of massive digoxin ingestion with multiple arrhythmias, consisting of high grade A-V block and ventricular ectopy not responsive to lidocaine, is described. The arrhythmias ceased following administration of digoxin-specific Fab fragments. The patient improved and was transferred to the psychiatric unit.     

Control of intraabdominal hemorrhage and shock: a comparison of fluid resuscitation, MAST, and balloon occlusion

Our study examined the efficacy of four treatment modalities in controlling hemorrhage and achieving hemodynamic stabilization in hemorrhagic shock: intravenous fluid replacement (IV); military antishock trousers used concomitantly with fluids (MAST); balloon occlusion at the level of the diaphragm with concomitant fluid replacement (balloon); and a combination of MAST inflation, balloon occlusion, and fluid resuscitation (MAST and balloon). Twenty-eight mongrel dogs were anesthetized, and the spleen was exposed and completely crushed. The abdomen was closed, and treatment was initiated and continued for four hours or until the dog died. For all conditions the hematocrit dropped during the course of the experiment; balloon occlusion was effective at slowing this drop (P less than .0001), but MAST had no statistically significant effect. Animals with balloons bled more slowly into the abdominal cavity than did animals in the other two groups (P less than .0001). MAST also were effective at slowing the bleeding (P less than .05). Of the balloon and the MAST and balloon dogs, all except one survived the entire four hours; this difference between balloon and nonballoon dogs is significant (P = .002). MAST did not have a statistically significant effect on survival. Perfusion pressure (PP) declined during the course of the experiment, and the balloon was effective at slowing this decline (P less than .0001); none of the other comparisons was statistically significant.     

Role of microRNA in regulation of myeloma-related angiogenesis and survival

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a malignant disease caused by clonal proliferation of plasma cells that result in monoclonal gammopathy and severe end organ damage. Despite the uniform clinical signs, the disease is very diverse in terms of the nature and sequence of the underlying molecular events. Multiple cellular processes are involved in helping the malignant cells to remain viable and maintain proliferative properties in the hypoxic microenvironment of the bone marrow. Specifically, the process of angiogenesis, triggered by the interactions between the malignant MM cells and the stroma cells around them, was found to be critical for MM progression. In this review we highlight the current understanding about the epigenetic regulation of the proliferation and apoptosis of MM cells and its dependency on angiogenesis in the bone marrow that is carried out by different microRNAs.     

Comparison of intravenous and oral routes of theophylline loading in acute asthma

In a prospective, randomized clinical trial, 19 patients with an acute exacerbation of asthma were given a loading dose of aminophylline by the IV (n = 10) or oral route (n = 9) of administration following treatment with epinephrine. Plasma concentrations of theophylline were measured prior to giving the loading dose, and one, two, three, and 24 to 48 hours later. Therapeutic effectiveness was evaluated by analyzing spirometric measurements prior to giving the loading dose, and one, three, and 24 to 48 hours later. Side effects also were recorded. In the IV group, the mean peak plasma theophylline concentration was 15.1 micrograms/mL one hour after loading, and in the oral group the mean peak serum theophylline concentration was 14.2 micrograms/mL three hours after loading. There was no correlation between theophylline concentrations and normalized change in spirometric values. There was no significant difference in spirometric values between the IV and oral groups. Nausea was slightly more common in the IV group. We conclude that there is no therapeutic advantage to giving a loading dose of aminophylline by the IV route rather than orally in patients with mild-to-moderate exacerbation of asthma initially treated with epinephrine.     

RNA-Seq在老年神经退行性疾病研究中的应用

阿尔茨海默病及帕金森病是老年人最常见的两种神经退行性疾病,但其发病机制及治疗是研究的热点。随着高通量测序技术的进步及成本的下降,RNA-Seq也成为神经退行性疾病机制研究及生物标志物发现的有力手段。RNA-Seq相对于microarray具有高灵敏度、高准确性、高重复性以及噪声低等优势,在阿尔茨海默病及帕金森病研究中有较为广泛的应用,包括检测差异表达基因,可变剪接、新长链非编码RNA预测分析和miRNAs调控等,但是容易受病理复杂性及样本等因素影响。目前阿尔茨海默病及帕金森病转录组研究相比于癌症等还不够深入,在临床诊断及治疗应用还面临较大挑战。但是随着新技术及新方法的发展,RNA-Seq将进一步推动神经退行性相关疾病的研究和临床转化。     

岳阳市城区小学生血吸虫病防治健康教育现状调查

目的 调查湖南省岳阳市城区小学生血吸虫病防治知识、行为现状及健康教育需求情况,为制定科学有效的小学生血吸虫病健康教育方案提供参考依据。方法 采用分层整群抽样方法,抽取岳阳市城区洞庭湖湖畔学校和中心城区学校各2所,每所再从五、六年级分别抽取2个班的学生,通过调查问卷了解小学生血吸虫病相关知识、预防行为及健康教育需求,并进行统计分析。结果 共调查湖畔小学353人、中心城区小学363人,两组学校小学生年龄、性别、年级构成差异无统计学意义（t=-0.494,χ²_性别=1.615,χ²_年级=2.152;P均>0.05）。学生血吸虫病防治知识总知晓率为42.60%（305/716）,其中,湖畔学校小学生血防知识知晓率（52.97%）高于中心城区（32.51%）,差异有统计学意义（χ²=30.661,P<0.05）;学生行为正确率为76.68%（549/716）,血防知识知晓组行为正确率（81.31%）高于不知晓组（71.24%）,差异有统计学意义（χ²=6.384,P<0.05）。学生血防知识主要来源于老师（47.49%）;91.90%的学生愿意了解更多的血防知识,最喜欢的血防知识学习方式是参加课外活动（50.42%）。结论 岳阳市城区小学生的血防知识知晓率及行为正确率偏低,对血吸虫病防治健康教育需求较高。建议针对学生开展形式多样的血防健康教育,以增强学生的血吸虫病防护意识,提高自我防护能力。     

欧洲儿童肝豆状核变性诊疗推荐意见简介

正肝豆状核变性(Wilson’s disease,WD)是常染色隐性遗传相关的铜代谢障碍性疾病,估计患病率为1:30000。该病是由于编码P型ATP酶的ATP7B基因突变,影响铜的分泌及排泄所致铜沉积。儿童肝豆状核变性的临床表现可以从无症状肝脏疾病到肝硬化或者肝衰竭,但是神经精神症状却非常少见。常规的检测方法包括血清铜蓝蛋白、24 h尿铜。最终的诊断需要基于症状、评估铜代谢的生化学检     

Predicting, treating and preventing postoperative recurrence of Crohn's disease: the state of the field

The majority of patients diagnosed with Crohn's disease eventually require surgical intervention. Unfortunately, postsurgical remission tends to be short lived; a significant number of patients experience clinical relapse and many require additional operations. The pathogenesis of this postoperative recurrence is poorly understood and, currently, there are no reliable tools to predict when and in whom the disease will recur. Furthermore, the postoperative prophylaxis profiles of available Crohn's disease therapeutic agents such as 5-aminosalicylates, immunomodulators, steroids and probiotics have been disappointing. Recently, the combination of antibiotics and azathioprine in selected high-risk patients has demonstrated some potential for benefit. The goal of the present article is to provide a coherent summary of previous and new research to guide clinicians in managing the challenging and complex problem of postoperative Crohn's disease recurrence.     

A new concept of the anatomy of the anal sphincter mechanism and the physiology of defecation

The role of the external and internal anal sphincters in the mechanism of anal continence is presented. The external sphincter induces continence by 1) preventing internal sphincter relaxation, what I have called the “voluntary inhibition action,” and 2) mechanical compression of the rectal neck and anal canal proper. The mechanism of both actions is described. The internal sphincter plays a significant role not only in involuntary, but also in voluntary, continence. The importance of this role in the correction of anal incontinence is clarified. “Stress defecation,” a condition which follows internal sphincter damage, is discussed. A “single loop continence” theory is presented, based on the fact that each of the three loops of the external sphincter has its own innervation, attachment, and direction of muscle bundles; each loop thus acts as a separate sphincter. The clinical application of this theory is presented.     

安徽巢湖市丝虫病控制、消除历程和监测报告

【摘要】 目的  回顾并总结巢湖市丝虫病的流行、控制,以及消除丝虫病的历程。 方法  统计分析1970~1989年在该市采取以消灭传染源、切断传播途径为主的防治策略,以及展开大规模防治的各个阶段。 结果  1989年,采用分层整群抽样调查方法调查,微丝蚴率下降至0.032%,以行政村为单位,微丝蚴率已控制在1.0%以下,达到卫生部规定的基本消灭丝虫病标准;1991年,经省级调查考核,认定全市已达到卫生部规定的基本消灭丝虫病标准。1996年,省级审评确认已达到卫生部颁布的消灭丝虫病标准。经过10年的监测和跟踪治疗,到2005年,全市丝虫病病原学监测未查见微丝蚴阳性者,解剖镜检人房内淡色库蚊1 348只,蚊体内均未查见人体幼丝虫。 结论  巢湖市达到了消除丝虫病的标准。     

Role of genetics in the diagnosis and prognosis of Crohn's disease

Considering the epidemiological, genetic and immunological data, we can conclude that the inflammatory bowel diseases are heterogeneous disorders of multifactorial etiology in which hereditability and environment interact to produce the disease. It is probable that patients have a genetic predisposition for the development of the disease coupled with disturbances in immunoregulation. Several genes have so far been related to the diagnosis of Crohn's disease. These genes are related to innate pattern recogni...     

The Pneumonia Virus of Mice (PVM) Model of Acute Respiratory Infection

Pneumonia Virus of Mice (PVM) is related to the human and bovine respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) pathogens, and has been used to study respiratory virus replication and the ensuing inflammatory response as a component of a natural host—pathogen relationship. As such, PVM infection in mice reproduces many of the clinical and pathologic features of the more severe forms of RSV infection in human infants. Here we review some of the most recent findings on the basic biology of PVM infection and its use as a model of disease, most notably for explorations of virus infection and allergic airways disease, for vaccine evaluation, and for the development of immunomodulatory strategies for acute respiratory virus infection.     

Role of genetics in the diagnosis and prognosis of Crohn's disease

Considering epidemiological, genetic and immunological data, we can conclude that the inflammatory bowel diseases are heterogeneous disorders of multifactorial etiology in which hereditability and environment interact to produce the disease. It is probable that patients have a genetic predisposition for the development of the disease coupled with disturbances in immunoregulation. Several genes have been so far related to the diagnosis of Crohn's disease. Those genes are related to innate pattern recognition receptors, to epithelial barrier homeostasis and maintenance of epithelial barrier integrity, to autophagy and to lymphocyte differentiation. So far, the most strong and replicated associations with Crohn's disease have been done with NOD2, IL23R and ATG16L1 genes. Many genes have so far been implicated in prognosis of Crohn's disease and many attempts have been made to classify genetic profiles in Crohn's disease. CARD15 seems not only a susceptibility gene, but also a disease-modifier gene for Crohn's disease. Enriching our understanding on Crohn's disease genetics is important but when combining genetic data with functional data the outcome could be of major importance to clinicians.     

Advanced Evaluation of the Freeze–Thaw Damage of Concrete Based on the Fracture Tests

This paper presents the results of an experimental program aimed at the assessment of the freeze–thaw (F–T) resistance of concrete based on the evaluation of fracture tests accompanied by acoustic emission measurements. Two concretes of similar mechanical characteristics were manufactured for the experiment. The main difference between the C1 and C2 concrete was in the total number of air voids and in the A300 parameter, where both parameters were higher for C1 by about 35% and 52%, respectively. The evaluation of the fracture characteristics was performed on the basis of experimentally recorded load–deflection and load–crack mouth opening displacement diagrams using two different approaches: linear fracture mechanics completed with the effective crack model and the double-K model. The results show that both approaches gave similar results, especially if the nonlinear behavior before the peak load was considered. According to the results, it can be stated that continuous AE measurement is beneficial for the assessment of the extent of concrete deterioration, and it suitably supplements the fracture test evaluation. A comparison of the results of fracture tests with the resonance method and splitting tensile strength test shows that all testing methods led to the same conclusion, i.e., the C1 concrete was more F–T-resistant than C2. However, the fracture test evaluation provided more detailed information about the internal structure deterioration due to the F–T exposure.     

索非布韦联合α-干扰素治疗慢性丙型肝炎患者疗效比较的Meta分析

目的 评价索非布韦（SOF）联合α-干扰素（PEG-IFN）与索非布韦或干扰素治疗慢性丙型肝炎患者的疗效。 方法 检索 PubMed、Cochrane Library、中国期刊全文数据库（CNKI）、中国生物医学文献数据库（CBM）、万方数据库及中文科技期刊全文数据库（VIP）等数据库,纳入索非布韦联合干扰素与索非布韦或干扰素治疗慢性丙型肝炎患者的临床随机对照试验研究。采用Revman 5.2软件进行Meta分析。 结果 纳入9篇文献,共827例慢性丙型肝炎患者,其中5篇研究比较了SOF/PEG-IFN/利巴韦林（RBV）治疗的339例与SOF/RBV治疗的269例患者,4篇研究比较了SOF/PEG-IFN/RBV治疗的105例与PEG-IFN/RBV治疗的114例患者。Mate分析结果显示,SOF/PEG-IFN/RBV组快速病毒学应答率（RVR）显著高于SOF/RBV组（86.7% 对71.7%,P=0.002）,与PEG-IFN/RBV组比为91.7% 对32.3%（P=0.006）;SOF/PEG-IFN/RBV组持续病毒学应答率（SVR）显著高于PEG-IFN/RBV组（85.7%对44.2%,P<0.00001）,但与SOF/RBV组比,差异无统计学意义（89% 对74.1%,P=0.16）;SOF/PEG-IFN/RBV组头疼、疲劳、恶心、皮疹、肌痛、食欲减退、关节痛、发热、贫血发生率较SOF/RBV组高,且差异具有统计学意义（P<0.05）。 结论 索非布韦联合α-干扰素和利巴韦林治疗相比索非布韦联合利巴韦林或聚乙二醇干扰素联合利巴韦林治疗慢性丙型肝炎患者可获得更高的快速病毒学应答率,而不良反应发生率也较索非布韦联合利巴韦林治疗组高。     

Unconventional use of LC3 by coronaviruses through the alleged subversion of the ERAD tuning pathway

Pathogens of bacterial and viral origin hijack pathways operating in eukaryotic cells in many ways in order to gain access into the host, to establish themselves and to eventually produce their progeny. The detailed molecular characterization of the subversion mechanisms devised by pathogens to infect host cells is crucial to generate targets for therapeutic intervention. Here we review recent data indicating that coronaviruses probably co-opt membranous carriers derived from the endoplasmic reticulum, which contain proteins that regulate disposal of misfolded polypeptides, for their replication. In addition, we also present models describing potential mechanisms that coronaviruses could employ for this hijacking.