Prophylactic human papillomavirus vaccines: the beginning of the end of cervical cancer

Persistent infection with one of the oncogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) types is a necessity for the development of cervical cancer. By HPV vaccination, cervical cancer could become a very rare disease. Two types of HPV vaccines can be distinguished: (i) therapeutic vaccines which induce cellular immunity targeted against epithelial cells infected with HPV and (ii) prophylactic vaccines inducing virus-neutralizing antibodies protecting against new but not against established infections. At present, several vaccines have been developed and tested in clinical trials. The vaccines are generally well tolerated and highly immunogenic. The current clinical data indicate that prophylactic vaccines are very effective against new persistent infections and the development of cervical intraepithelial lesions. The protection is type specific. However, the follow-up of the vaccination trials is still short. The effect of HPV vaccines on future cancer incidence will only be known after decades of follow-up. This article will address the status of recently terminated phase II and currently running phase III trials with prophylactic HPV vaccines.     

Adjuvant radiotherapy in carcinomas of the uterine cervix: the prognostic value of hemoglobin levels

Anemia has been associated with a poorer treatment response and reduced survival in women undergoing primary radiotherapy (RT) or radiochemotherapy for advanced cervical carcinoma. This study aimed to determine the influence of anemia on outcome in patients with cervical carcinoma undergoing adjuvant RT. Medical records were reviewed for 183 cervical cancer patients who had received adjuvant RT because of risk factors after radical surgery (n= 109) or inadequate primary surgery (simple hysterectomy; n= 74). Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses were used to study hemoglobin levels before and during adjuvant RT in relation to recurrence-free and overall survival. Hemoglobin values > or =11 g/dL were considered normal, while those <11 g/dL indicated anemia. Hemoglobin levels before RT influenced significantly overall survival and recurrence-free survival across the whole group (overall survival--log rank(all patients)= 7.5; df = 1; P= 0.006). However, subgroup analysis showed that the observed difference was mainly due to the group of women who had undergone inadequate primary surgery (overall survival--log rank(inadequate surgery)= 10.8; df = 1; P= 0.001). Multifactorial regression analyses comparing hemoglobin before RT with grading and tumor stage confirmed the prognostic value of hemoglobin values. Maintaining normal hemoglobin values before and during adjuvant RT seems to be important, especially in patients who have had inappropriate simple hysterectomy, which may resemble a therapeutic situation.     

Haemoglobin A1 and congenital malformation

Two hundred and thirty pregnancies were studied in 196 diabetic women. Seven women with babies found to have major malformations had a higher median first trimester haemoglobin A1 (12.9%) than the median HbA1 (10.8%) in those with normal babies (p = 0.06). No relationship was found between the occurrence of minor malformations and first trimester maternal haemoglobin A1. Two of the seven congenital malformations were diagnosed antenatally at a time when therapeutic abortion could be offered. Expert antenatal ultrasound scanning should be offered to all pregnant diabetic women as poor glycaemic control at the time of conception and organogenesis, as evidenced by raised first trimester HbA1, predisposes to congenital malformation.     

复方川脊片对兔颈椎病模型椎动脉基质金属蛋白酶-2的干预作用

目的:探讨基质金属蛋白酶-2(MMP-2)在椎动脉血管表达的意义及复方川脊片的干预效果。方法:40只兔随机分为正常组,模型组,颈复康组,复方川脊片组。硬化剂注射法造模,4周后,模型组,颈复康组及川脊片组分别以生理盐水、颈复康及川脊片混悬液灌胃。治疗4周后检测椎动脉血管搏动指数,全血黏度及血浆黏度,椎动脉血管MMP-2的表达。结果:与正常组相比模型组搏动指数提高,全血黏度及血浆黏度增加,MMP-2表达增多(P<0.05);与模型组相比,治疗组搏动指数降低,全血黏度及血浆黏度降低,MMP-2表达较少(P<0.05)。结论:部分的抑制MMP-2在椎动脉的表达可能是复方川脊片治疗颈椎病的机制之一。     

Iniencephaly and long-term survival: a rare case report

Introduction Iniencephaly, a neural tube defect involving occiput and inion and combined with rachischisis of the cervical, thoracic spine, and retroflexion position of the head is a very rare congenital abnormality of the fetus–newborn with a 0.1–10 of 10,000 prevalence. This abnormality’s prognosis is thought to be dismal. This abnormality can be associated with other abnormalities such as anencephaly, encephalocele, hydrocephalus, cyclopia, absence of the mandible, cleft lip and palate, cardiovascular disorders, diaphragmatic hernia, renal abnormalities, overgrowth of the arms compared to the legs, and club food and gastrointestinal atresia. Discussion Most of the patients are dead born, and the others die in a few hours. There are only six previously documented long-term survivors. In our case, our patient with iniencephalic signs and findings is still living. She is 2 years old now. We think that this patient presents a mild form of iniencephaly.     

家兔颈后肌受长期应力作用的实验研究

目的 建立颈后肌受长期应力作用动物模型并进行相关研究.方法 30只家兔随机分为模型组和对照组,每组15只.模型组家兔置于特制低头位框架中,低头角度为45度,每天1次,每次5小时;对照组除不低头外余条件相同.12周后分别进行颈椎X线、颈后部红外热像图、血清肌酸激酶和乳酸脱氢酶含量以及颈后肌超氧化物歧化酶和丙二醛含量观察.结果 模型组颈椎X线改变积分值实验后明显高于实验前和对照组,差异具有显著性;模型组与对照组颈后部红外热像图有明显差异;模型组血清肌酸激酶、乳酸脱氢酶的含量均明显高于对照组;模型组丙二醛含量明显高于对照组而超氧化物歧化酶含量明显低于对照组.结论 家兔颈后肌受长期应力作用后出现颈部的生物力学和生物化学失衡.     

颈椎斜位片在下颈椎椎弓根螺钉术的研究

目的通过C形臂X线机以不同角度拍摄的尸体颈椎样本的斜位片观测颈椎椎弓根。在此基础之上不同角度的颈椎斜位片上观察术前拟行下颈椎椎弓根钉植入的患者颈椎椎弓根影象学表现。在这两个观测的基础上找到颈椎椎弓根及螺钉植入的最佳斜位片角度。方法选用干燥的人颈椎(C3~7)标本在C形臂X线机辅助下通过透视不同的斜位角度(40°、45°、50°、55°、60°)观测椎弓根。同时在颈椎标本观测的基础上,对拟行颈椎椎弓根螺钉植入患者术前摄不同角度的颈椎斜位片(45°、50°、55°)观测颈椎椎弓根的显示。两次试验都是观测椎弓根的长度及对侧椎弓根在椎体上显影的位置(把椎体3等分)。结果通过测量发现55°颈椎双斜位片对椎弓根长度的显示及对侧椎弓根位置显示与其他角度斜位片相比有明显的统计学差异(P<0.05)。结论55°双斜位片对术前颈椎椎弓根的判断及术中椎弓根钉植入准确性的判断是斜位片的最佳角度。     

Disappearance of Tophi in Familial Juvenile Hyperuricemic Nephropathy after Kidney Transplantation

A 40-year-old man who had been on hemodialysis for 25 months due to familial juvenile hyperuricemic nephropathy (FJHN) received a kidney transplant. Biopsy of his native kidney had shown tubulo-interstitial nephropathy. Genetic analysis confirmed abnormal uromodulin expression due to a mutation in the exon 4 of the UMOD gene. He had multiple tophi on the day of transplantation, including some on his fingers. He received immunosuppressive treatment including polyclonal antilymphocyte antibodies, mycophenolate mofetil, steroids and cyclosporine and achieved excellent renal function, with serum creatinine at 13 mg/L on day 10 posttransplantation and 9.4 mg/L at 6 months. His uric acid excretion rate increased from 4.4% at day 2 posttransplantation to 7.7% 6 months after transplantation. The number and sizes of the tophi were reduced 3 months posttransplantation, and nearly disappeared at month 6. Serum uric acid level decreased slowly from 650 mumol/L before transplantation to 300 mumol/L. Reduction of tophi was probably due to the absence of the mutated UMOD gene in the transplanted kidney.