STUDY OF THE ANATOMY OF THE EXTRADURAL REGION USING MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING

We have studied magnetic resonance images of the lumbar spineof 39 subjects to examine the anatomy of the lumbar extraduralregion. The segmental nature of the posterior extradural regionat each lumbar level may explain reports of easier cranial passageof extradural catheters introduced by the paramedian approach.This approach may thus provide a more reliable route for rapidintroduction of an extradural catheter during the needle-through-needle,combined spinal-extradural technique. (Br. J. Anaesth. 1993;71: 495–498)     

疾控人员职业倦怠潜在剖面分析及与工作特征的关系

目的 通过对疾控(CDC)人员职业倦怠进行潜在剖面分析识别不同的职业倦怠类别,探讨工作特征各维度与职业倦怠类别间的独立效应。 方法 采用中文版职业倦怠量表(MBI-GS)、工作特征量表和自编一般资料调查表对943名疾控人员进行调查。使用潜在剖面分析方法识别疾控人员职业倦怠潜在类别,多分类Logistic回归分析探讨工作特征各维度与不同职业倦怠类别间的独立效应。 结果 疾控人员职业倦怠存在3种类别:低倦怠型(Ⅰ,54.7%)、高倦怠型(Ⅱ,24.1%)和成就感低落型(Ⅲ,21.2%)。高工作反馈、高工作意义是个体进入高倦怠型组的独立保护因素(OR=0.561;OR=0.612),高工作负荷、高工作对个体控制及情绪表达的要求是个体进入高倦怠型组的独立风险因素(OR=1.693;OR=1.770);高工作自主性是个体进入成就感低落型组的独立风险因素(OR=1.810),高工作对个体控制及情绪表达的要求是个体进入成就感低落型组的独立保护因素(OR=0.582)。 结论 疾控人员可区分出3种潜在职业倦怠类别,工作特征不同维度与潜在职业倦怠类别间存在独立效应。     

改良尿道板重建卷管尿道成形术与尿道板纵切卷管尿道成形术治疗儿童尿道下裂的疗效对比

目的 比较改良尿道板重建卷管尿道成形术（又称Koyanagi术）与尿道板纵切卷管尿道成形术（TIP）在儿童尿道下裂中的临床疗效。方法 回顾性分析2018年1月—2021年10月甘肃省妇幼保健院收治的104例尿道下裂患儿的临床资料,其中53例患儿行改良Koyanagi术（研究组）,51例患儿行TIP（对照组）。两组患儿术后均随访12个月。比较两组手术时间、术中出血量、术后疼痛及排尿功能、手术成功情况,对比两组术后并发症发生情况。结果 两组手术时间、术中出血量比较,差异均无统计学意义（P >0.05）。两组患儿术后4、12、24和48 h的FLACC评分比较,采用重复测量设计的方差分析,结果 ①不同时间点FLACC评分差异有统计学意义（F =10.871,P =0.000）;②研究组与对照组FLACC评分差异无统计学意义（F =1.849,P =0.157）;③研究组与对照组FLACC评分变化趋势差异无统计学意义（F =2.516,P =0.085）。两组患儿术后12个月的最大尿流率、平均尿流率、排尿量、尿流时间、手术成功率比较,差异均无统计学意义（P >0.05）。研究组术后总并发症发生率低于对照组（P <0.05）。结论 改良Koyanagi术与TIP治疗儿童尿道下裂疗效相近,均可获得满意效果,但改良Koyanagi术在降低术后并发症方面具有优势。     

Elective cesarean as a risk factor for transfusion after delivery of twins

We examined deliveries of twins to identify factors most strongly associated with an increased risk of transfusion. We reviewed the obstetric records of 511 twin deliveries at the Japanese Red Cross Katsushika Maternity Hospital from 2003 through 2007. After 18 (3.5%) of these deliveries, transfusions were required. Transfusion was significantly more likely after elective cesarean delivery at a gestational aged of 37 weeks or more (odds ratio, 4.85; 95% confidence interval, 1.87-12.61). Emergency cesarean delivery (at > or =37 weeks' gestation) was not associated with an increased risk of transfusion. The delivery mode of twins should be carefully considered because of the increased risk of transfusion after elective cesarean delivery at a gestational age of 37 weeks or more.     

Maternal origin of transferrin receptor positive cells in venous blood of pregnant women

We studied the origin of transferrin receptor (CD71) positive cells in blood from seven women pregnant with a male fetus in order to explore if fetal cells could be detected among them. We used a technique that allows direct chromosomal analysis by in situ hybridization on immunologically and morphologically classified cells. Enrichment was performed by magnetic activated cell sorting (miniMACS)® using an anti-CD71 monoclonal antibody. The cells were immunophenotyped by alkaline phosphatase anti-alkaline phosphatase immunostaining with the same antibody. The origin of the immunophenotyped cells was studied by in situ hybridization using an X cosmid Y repeat chromosome specific probe cocktail. CD71 positive cells were found in six of the seven women at the range of 4 to 43 in respective samples. Over 90% of the CD71 positive cells were nucleated erythrocytes. None of the detected positive cells were shown to be fetal. Thus, the use of transferrin receptor antigen alone in combination with the miniMACS® may not be sufficient for enrichment of fetal cells.     

The diagnosis of male infertility--prospective time-specific study of conception rates related to seminal analysis and post-coital sperm--mucus penetration and survival in otherwise unexplained infertility

Infertile women without any inherent female infertility factorsand able to secrete normal cervical mucus were studied prospectivelyin relation to post-coital sperm—mucus penetration (PCT)and their partner's seminal analysis, excluding men with azoospermia.Time-specific cumulative conception rates calculated as forlife-table analysis were related to each measured seminal variableon routine analysis of 2–3 samples (volume, density, proportionwith progressive motility, and proportion with normal morphology);to various derivatives from combinations of these variables;to seminal findings after vital staining; and to the PCT results.The best seminal predictor of fertility was the motile normalsperm density (MNSD), the 18 month conception rates being 57.4%+ 4.6 (SE) and 30.2% + 5.9 (ratio 1.9, P < 0.001) above andbelow a derived threshold value of 4 x 10⁶/ml. The PCT led torates of 55.6% ± 4.3 and 14.9% ± 5.1 (ratio 3.73,P < 0.001) for positive and negative results, respectively.The PCT also gave rise to a significantly distinct intermediatepoor-psitive sub-group (conception rate 30.6% ± 9.0).Seminal analysis (the MNSD) did not affect the conception rateassociated with a positive PCT but helped to discriminate furtherwith a negative PCT (conception rates 22.5% ± 8.7 withan MNSD above 4 x 10⁶/ml versus 5.6% ± 4.8 below, P <0.05). The PCT was the single best predictor of fertility butseminal analysis (the MNSD) was of additional value after anegative PCT.     

Norethisterone treatment to control timing of the IVF cycle

The use of norethisterone to control the timing of the precedingmenstrual cycle and in consequence the timing of the in-vitrofertilization (IVF) cycle has been evaluated in a therapeuticIVF programme in which oocyte recovery was limited to 2 dayseach week. A consecutive series of 181 cycles after norethisteroneand 29 untreated controls were compared. Menstruation occurred2– 3 days after norethisterone as planned in 82% of patientsoverall and in 87% of patients whose menstrual cycle lengthvaried by no more than 2 days about the median. Norethisteronetreatment did not significantly affect the outcome of IVF treatmentcompared with the controls in respect to cycles abandoned (12versus 0%, respectively), peak follicular diameter (mean 18.1mm versus 18.3 mm 48 h before laparoscopy), oocyte recoveryrate (4.6 versus 4.5 per patient), oocyte morphology (63% versus52% mature), or fertilization rate (72 versus 65% of matureoocytes). Clinical pregnancies were too few for comparison (rates27 versus 9% per laparoscopy) but the overall rate (23%) indicatedeffectiveness of the methods. Prior norethisterone treatmentappears to be an effective and useful means of controlling thetiming of the oocyte recovery in IVF treatment.     

An effective regimen for early medical abortion: a report of 2000 consecutive cases

A combination of the anti-progesterone mifepristone and gemeprostprovides an effective non-surgical method for the inductionof abortion at gestations up to 63 days, achieving completeabortion rates of over 95%. We report our experience with analternate regimen, comprising a reduced dose of mifepristonein combination with vaginal misoprostol. A consecutive seriesof 2000 women requesting early medical abortion at gestationsup to 63 days was studied retrospectively. Each woman receivedmifepristone 200 mg orally, followed 36–48 h later bymisoprostol 800 µg vaginally. Of the 2000 women, 39 (2.0%)aborted completely following administration of mifepristonealone and a further 1912 experienced complete abortion followingadministration of misoprostol (a complete abortion rate of 97.5%).Surgical intervention was required in 49 women (2.5%): for incompleteabortion in 27 (1.4%), for missed abortion in seven (0.4%),for continuing pregnancy in 11 (0.6%) and to exclude ectopicpregnancy in four (0.2%). The surgical intervention rate wassignificantly higher among women at gestations 49 days thanamong those at 49 days (3.3 versus 1.5%, P = 0.0193). The regimenappears as effective, in terms of high complete abortion rateand low continuing pregnancy rate, as any published alternative.This regimen has the benefit of being less costly as the doseof mifepristone is 67% lower and misoprostol is substantiallyless expensive than gemeprost. Additionally, misoprostol doesnot require special transport or storage requirements. As such,the combination of mifepristone and gemeprost.     

An evaluation of semen analysis and in-vitro tests of sperm function in the prediction of the outcome of intrauterine AIH

Twenty-nine couples with an average of 5 years of infertilitywere selected for treatment by intrauterine insemination ofwashed semen (AIH). The criteria for selection were (i) thefemale partner showed no detectable fertility disorders by routinescreening; (ii) the male partner showed subnormal semen qualityon conventional semen analysis. Ovulation was stimulated uniformlywith clomiphene citrate and precipitated with human chorionicgonadotrophin (HCG). Inseminations were performed 31–32h post-HCG, with the day of HCG determined by ultrasound monitoringof follicular development. The fertilizing capacity of the malepartners‘ spermatozoa was tested in vitro using donatedhuman oocytes and/or the zona-free hamster oocyte penetrationassay. Up to eight cycles of AIH were alternated with cyclesof natural intercourse. While no pregnancies occurred in thegroup during normal coital cycles, the AIH pregnancy rate was17% per couple, but only 3% per insemination cycle. Four furtherpregnancies were achieved spontaneously in couples from thestudy group within 3 years of completion of the AIH therapyand four patients became pregnant following subsequent GIFTor IVF treatments. Neither of the in-vitro tests was helpfulin predicting the outcome of AIH, spontaneous pregnancy norof subsequent assisted conception procedures.     

Prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection in pregnant Turkish women and their families

A total of 5,366 pregnant Turkish women were screened for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and 225 (4.2%) of them were found to be positive. Hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) was detected in 6.2% of HBsAg-positive pregnant women. The overall prevalence of HBsAg and antibody to HBsAg (anti-HBs) among the spouses, previous children, mothers and first degree relatives of the HBsAg-positive pregnant women was 56%, 49%, 79% and 74% respectively. The prevalence of HBsAg is thus high in pregnant Turkish women with familial clustering of hepatitis B virus infection.