Single fiber electromyography of extraocular muscles: A sensitive method for the diagnosis of ocular myasthenia gravis

We performed single fiber electromyography (SFEMG) in the superior rectus and levator palpebralis (SR-LP) muscles of 17 patients with pure ocular myasthenia gravis (MG) and 9 controls. Thirteen patients were also assessed with SFEMG in the orbicularis oculi (OO) muscle. All the MG patients but none of the control subjects showed abnormal SFEMG jitter in the SR-LP muscles. On the other hand, only 62% of the MG patients had abnormal SFEMG jitter in the OO muscle. The procedure was well tolerated by the patients, and complications were minor. We conclude that SFEMG of the SR–LP muscles is a safe and highly sensitive technique for the diagnosis of ocular MG. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Heparin effect on ionised calcium concentration

The effect of heparin on plasma ionised calcium was studied by adding it in increasing amounts to whole blood from 10 normal subjects. There was no significant change in ionised calcium from the addition of 1 U/ml but a significant fall of 0.02 mmol/1 when 2 U/ml were added and a progressive further fall with increasing concentrations. Heparin from three different manufacturers produced similar results. The effect of heparinisation in vivo was studied during regular haemodialysis on 10 patients with chronic renal failure. Following intravenous injection of 10000 U of heparin there was a consistent and significant fall averaging 0.03 mmol/l.     

军团菌MOMPS基因的克隆并在原核系统中表达

以军团菌DNA为模板，PCR扩增获得军团菌主要外膜蛋白基因（Major outer membrane protein gene，ompS），与原核表达质粒pUC18定向重组，构建重组质粒，转化大肠杆菌BL21，并用限制性酶酶切分析、聚合酶链式反应、核酸序列分析、十二烷基磺酸钠-聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳、Western印迹进行鉴定。实验结果表明我们扩增出了军团菌914bp的ompS基因，成功构建了重组质粒pLPompS，并在原核系统中得到了表达。     

Lipid peroxidation and antioxidant status in human cervical carcinoma

Reactive oxygen species (ROS), represented by superoxide, hydrogen peroxide and hydroxyl radicals, have been implicated in many diseases including cancer. ROS have been known to play an important role in the initiation and promotion of multistep carcinogenesis. The cellular antioxidants play a crucial role in protection against neoplastic disease. However, very little is known about the antioxidant defense in cervical carcinoma. This is addressed in the present study. Lipid peroxides, glutathione content and the activities of antioxidant enzymes, together with vitamin C and E content, were estimated in patients who had carcinoma of the cervix, and the values were compared with those of normal women. The results showed a remarkable reduction in the content of glutathione, vitamin E and C. Activities of glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase were also reduced in cervical cancer compared to normal controls (P < 0.001). This reduction was more marked in late stages (III, IV) than in early stages (I, II) (P < 0.001). Glutathione was reduced more in poorly differentiated tumors (grade III) than in well and moderately differentiated ones (grade I, II) (P < 0.05). Levels of lipid peroxides were found to be significantly higher in malignant than in normal tissue samples and their levels were correlated with advanced clinical stage (P < 0.001). Our results suggest impaired antioxidant status in carcinoma of the cervix. This impairment is related to tumor progression.     

Histologic and immunohistochemical findings in the differential diagnosis of chronic lymphocytic leukemia of B-Cell type and lymphoplasmacytic/lymphoplasmacytoid lymphoma

Summary 114 cases of malignant lymphoma consisting chiefly of lymphocytes were classified by histology as chronic lymphocytic leukemia of the B-cell type (B-CLL) or lymphoplasmacytic/lymphoplasmacytoid lymphoma (LP immunocytoma) and investigated with the immunoperoxidase-bridge (PAP) method for the presence of heavy and light immunoglobulin chains. Fifteen cases were excluded because they showed a completely negative reaction, which might have been an artifact. Of the remaining 99 cases, 46 revealed polyclonal immunoglobulin-positive plasma cells only and could be clearly classified as B-CLL. In 33 cases there were a moderate or large number of plasma cells or plasmacytoid cells with monoclonal intracytoplasmic positivity. Two heavy chain classes were demonstrated in three other cases, and both light chain types were detected in one case. These 37 cases were finally classified as LP immunocytoma. Ten cases contained only a few monoclonal plasmacytoid cells and were interpreted as borderline cases between B-CLL and LP immunocytoma. Six cases have not yet been clarified — there was an inexplicable discrepancy between their histology and immunostaining.In LP immunocytoma, the heavy chain class demonstrated most often was the chain (27 cases). Light chains of the type were about 2.5 times as common as chains.The differential diagnostic criteria for distinguishing B-CLL from LP immunocytoma are discussed and compared. PAS-positive tumor cells are an almost definite criterion of LP immunocytoma. At present, a critical evaluation of the results of PAP immunostaining is the most reliable way to clearly distinguish B-CLL from LP immunocytoma.Supported by the Kind-Philipp-Stiftung     

Effects of neonatal cortical lesions upon retinocollicular projections in the hamster

Autoradiography and anterograde horseradish peroxidase transport were used to examine retinocollicular projections in normal hamsters and in animals subjected to ablation of the ipsilateral, posterior neocortex at 1, 3, 6, 10 or 120 days of age. The crossed retinotectal projections of all groups were quite similar. There did, however, appear to be a slight increase in the density of the projection to the lower portion of the stratum griseum superficiale in the neonatally brain-damaged hamsters.The uncrossed pathway, on the other hand, was quite abnormal in the neonatally lesioned animals. In normals, the ipsilateral retinocollicular projection consisted almost entirely of a series of patches along the stratum yriseum superficiale-stratum opticum border in the rostral one-third of the colliculus. Only a few axons from the ipsilateral eye were observed in the caudal two-thirds of the tectum and these could only be visualized when horseradish peroxidase was used as the tracer. In all of the neonatally brain-damaged hamsters both autoradiography and horseradish peroxidase tracing demonstrated that the ipsilateral retina densely innervated the entire rostrocaudal extent of the colliculus.Retrograde tracing experiments demonstrated that the portion of the temporal retina which gave rise to the uncrossed retinocollicular projection in the normal hamsters was also the source of the expanded projection in the neonatally brain-damaged animals; and, further, that the numbers and areal distributions of ipsilaterally projecting retinal and retinocollicular ganglion cells were similar in the two groups.These findings suggest that, at least in the hamster, normal inputs from the two eyes may not be a sufficient condition for the development of the largely complementary pattern of collicular innervation by the two retinae.     

新生儿严重脑室内出血连续腰穿的疗效

目的为了治疗和预防脑室内出血后脑积水的发生和发展,改善新生儿严重脑室内出血的不良预后。方法1989年以来,对19例在出生后早期经头颅B超诊断为严重脑室内出血（IVH）患儿进行了连续腰穿（LP）治疗。结果有效16例,自动出院1例,失败2例。有效率为84．2％。有效16例初次LP日龄为14．6±5．7d,疗程23．4±12d,平均LP次数9．3±4．7次,平均LP间隔期3．1±1．6d,平均每次放液量6．7±2ml,LP治疗后起效天数为10．1±7．8d。2例在连续LP的同时联用乙酰唑胺治疗亦取得显著疗效。16例平均随访月龄为3．2±1月,体格发育均正常,B超显示12例脑室形态正常,4例脑室呈稳定的轻度增大。失败的2例初次LP迟,初期LP间隔期延长为7－9d,放液量＜5ml。同期另有17例严重IVH患儿未予LP治疗。其中4例并发脑积水,5例自动出院,4例早期死亡,余4例其后脑室形态稳定。结论连续LP不失为治疗新生儿严重IVH实用安全有效的方法,LP疗效欠佳时可联用乙酰唑胺治疗。     

Nodular Lymphocyte Predominant Hodgkin Lymphoma: Biology,Diagnosis and Treatment

Nodular lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin lymphoma (NLPHL) is an uncommon variant of classical Hodgkin lymphoma. It is characterized histologically by presence of lymphohistiocytic cells which have B-cell phenotype, are positive for CD19, CD20, CD45, CD79a, BOB.1, Oct.2, and negative for CD15 and CD30. Patients often present with early stage of disease and do not have classical B symptoms. The clinical behavior appears to mimic that of an indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma more than that of classical Hodgkin disease. The purpose of the present report is to define the biology of NLPHL, review its clinical presentation, and summarize the available clinical data regarding treatment.     

不同基因型HBV感染患者血清Lp(a)检测及其临床意义分析

目的 探讨乙型肝炎病毒(hepatitis B virus,HBV)感染患者不同基因型与健康人血清脂蛋白(a)[lipoprotein (a),LP(a)]水平相关性的临床意义.方法 分别取HBV感染患者A基因型35例,B基因型57例,C基因型56例,D基因型52例和健康对照64例血清,采用全自动生化分析仪对其脂蛋白(a)进行检测.结果 A,B,C,D四个基因型HBV感染患者的Lp(a)均低于健康对照组(P＜0.05).而且不同基因型HBV感染患者的最终治疗转归率和治愈率不同.结论 HBV能抑制脂蛋白(a)的表达,且其血清中表达水平与乙肝的基因型相关.     

The Return of Actionable Variants Empirical (RAVE) Study,a Mayo Clinic Genomic Medicine Implementation Study: Design and Initial Results

Objectives

To identify clinically actionable genetic variants from targeted sequencing of 68 disease-related genes, estimate their penetrance, and assess the impact of disclosing results to participants and providers.