A computer and video display based system for training eccentric viewing in macular degeneration with an absolute central scotoma

A new approach designed to establish the most suitable area for eccentric viewing and to teach and train patients with severe age-related macular degeneration (AMD) to use the eccentric viewing technique is described. Using a computer and video display based system, as well as software written specifically for this purpose, we investigated and trained ten consecutive patients with AMD. The patients were 80.1 ± 5.6 years old, on average. All of them had an absolute central scotoma. Mean visual acuity was 0.035 ± 0.016. After 30 min of testing, instruction and reading on the screen, followed by 2.6 ± 0.69 one-hour training sessions, on average, with the low vision therapist, reading newspaper and book texts with the aid of hyperoculars or aplanatic systems and a very short reading distance, the patients achieved a reading speed of 58.9 ± 19.7 words/min, significantly (p<0.001) higher than the initial speed when reading on the screen, 11.5 ± 4.5 words/min.     

下肢深静脉血栓形成MR检查的临床价值

目的探讨下肢深静脉血栓形成磁共振血管成像（MRA）和下肢深静脉血栓磁共振直接成像（MRDTI）的临床价值。资料与方法对25例临床确诊为下肢深静脉血栓形成的患者进行MRA和MRDTI检查．MRA采用二维时间飞越法（2DTOF）；MRDTI选用SET1WI、FSET2WI、FAST（fourier acquired steady state，FAST）序列。其中23例行数字减影血管造影（DSA）检查，MRA与DSA进行对照分析。结果下肢深静脉血栓形成的MRA表现有：静脉充盈缺损（14例）、静脉闭塞和中断（8例）、静脉再通（3例）、侧支循环形成（25例）。以DSA为诊断标准，MRA诊断符合率为95．65％。下肢深静脉血栓形成MRDTI表现为：急性血栓（19例），血栓在SET1WI、FSET2WI和FAST序列上多为等信号或高信号，信号多不均匀，6例可见血管周围水肿；慢性血栓（6例），血栓在SET1WI、FSET2WI和FAST序列上多均为低或等信号。结论2DTOFMRA结合多种序列MRDTI的表现，诊断下肢深静脉血栓更准确,并可以为判断血栓新旧提供依据。     

低场强MRI对主动脉夹层的诊断价值

目的 评价低场强磁共振成像对主动脉夹层的诊断价值。方法 对16例主动脉夹层在低场强MRI自旋回波（SE）序列和梯度回波（GRE）表现进行回顾性分析总结，其中，6例经手术病理证实。结果 16例均能清晰显示病变的范围、夹层起始部位、内膜片、真假腔，6例假腔内显示血栓。结论 低场强MRI作为一种无创性检查能对主动脉夹层作出准确及时的诊断。     

低分子肝素钙联合辛伐他汀治疗不稳定型心绞痛疗效观察

目的探讨低分子肝素联合辛伐他汀治疗不稳定型心绞痛的疗效。方法将100例不稳定型心绞痛患者随机分为对照组50例和观察组50例。对照组仅采取常规治疗（硝酸酯类、β-受体阻滞剂、钙拮抗剂、阿司匹林等），观察组在常规治疗的基础上加用低分子肝素和辛伐他汀，观察比较各组的疗效。结果观察组总有效率为90．0％，对照组总有效率为60．0％，两组疗效比较差异有显著性意义（P〈0．05）。结论低分子肝素联合辛伐他汀治疗不稳定型心绞痛取得满意的疗效。     

Danish version of the Oswestry disability index for patients with low back pain. Part 2: Sensitivity, specificity and clinically significant improvement in two low back pain populations

In studies evaluating the efficacy of clinical interventions, it is of paramount importance that the functional outcome measures are responsive to clinically relevant change. Knowledge thereof is in fact essential for the choice of instrument in clinical trials and for clinical decision-making. This article endeavours to investigate the sensitivity, specificity and clinically significant improvement (responsiveness) of the Danish version of the Oswestry disability index (ODI) in two back pain populations. Two hundred and thirty three patients with low back pain (LBP) and/or leg pain completed a questionnaire booklet at baseline and 8 weeks follow-up. Half of the patients were seen in the primary (PrS) and half in the secondary sectors (SeS) of the Danish Health Care System. The booklet contained the Danish version of the ODI, along with the Roland Morris Questionnaire, the LBP Rating Scale, the SF36 (physical function and bodily pain scales) and a global pain rating. At follow-up, a 7-point transition question (TQ) of patient perceived change and a numeric rating scale relating to the importance of the change were included. Responsiveness was operationalised using three strategies: change scores, standardised response means (SRM) and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses. All methods revealed acceptable responsiveness of the ODI in the two patient populations which was comparable to the external instruments. SRM of the ODI change scores at 2 months follow-up was 1.0 for PrS patients and 0.3 for SeS (raw and percentage). A minimum clinically important change (MCID) from baseline score was established at 9 points (71%) for PrS patients and 8 points (27%) for SeS patients using ROC analyses. This was dependable on the baseline entry score with the MCID increasing with 5 points for every 10 points increase in the baseline score. We conclude that the Danish version of the ODI has comparable responsiveness to other commonly used functional status measures and is appropriate for use in low back pain patients receiving conservative care in both the primary and secondary sector.     

An approach to protein restriction in children with renal insufficiency

Children with mild to moderate renal insufficiency may be at an increased risk for developing glomerulosclerosis and subsequent renal failure. Low protein diets (LPD) have been shown to delay the progression of renal insufficiency in laboratory animals and may be of benefit in adult humans. The nutritional costs of a LPD in adults are reportedly minimal. We review the protein and caloric requirements of growing children and discuss the potential harmful effects and benefits of an LPD in this population. We also discuss dietary adherence and the difficulty of designing an LPD for children. We conclude that the protein content of a typical American diet can safely be reduced to, but not below, the recommended daily allowance for protein if diets are carefully planned, patients and their parents extensively counseled, and if dietary supplements are given to help meet the caloric and vitamin-mineral nutrient needs of growing children. In addition, ongoing nutritional assessment, counseling, and frequent monitoring of growth, diet and biochemical indicators of protein status are essential for maintaining the health of these children.     

低分子肝素治疗不稳定性心绞痛临床观察

目的:观察低分子肝素治疗不稳定性心绞痛病人的疗效。方法:不稳定性心绞痛病人80例,随机分为两组:治疗组(40例),给予阿司匹林和抗心绞痛常规治疗下,加低分子肝素5000U,每12h一次,连用14d,对照组(40例),给予阿司匹林和抗心绞痛常规治疗。结果:治疗组与对照组在改善心绞痛症状及心电图表现方面总有效率分别为87.5％、70.0％(P<0.05),两组均未发生心脏事件。结论:低分子肝素是一种有效安全的治疗不稳定性心绞痛的药物。     

Treatment options for primary splenic low‐grade non‐Hodgkin's lymphomas

The purpose of this comparative study was to evaluate the response of primary splenic low‐grade non‐Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL) to chemotherapy, splenectomy, and chemotherapy combined with splenectomy in order to elaborate the optimum treatment modality. A total of 104 patients (age range: 15–82 years) with primary low‐grade B‐cell NHL of the spleen were comprised by our study. Stage IV disease was determined in 102 (98.1%) cases. Regarding the treatment modality, splenectomy was performed in 14 patients, early splenectomy and single‐agent chemotherapy in 15, early splenectomy and combined chemotherapy in 19, single‐agent chemotherapy in 23, and combined chemotherapy in 33. In the above‐mentioned order, complete remission rate was following: none, 40.0, 31.6, 21.8, and 18.2%. Partial remissions were achieved in 85.7, 46.7, 57.9, 30.4, and 69.7% of cases, respectively. The median remission duration turned out to be longer (74.5 months) in the group of patients with complete remissions attained by means of splenectomy and combined chemotherapy. Local relapses in the spleen developed in 19 (72.7%) patients treated with combined chemotherapy and in 9 (90.0%), who had undergone single‐agent chemotherapy. The 5‐year overall survival was 54.4% after splenectomy, 39.4% after single‐agent chemotherapy, and 37.1% after combined chemotherapy, being significantly higher (P < 0.05) after splenectomy and single‐agent chemotherapy (67.2%), and splenectomy followed by combined chemotherapy (64.7%). Early splenectomy combined with chemotherapy is the optimum treatment option for primary low‐grade NHL of the spleen because of the superiority in complete remission rate, remission duration, and in overall survival rate. Splenectomy leads to somatic compensation of patients, makes impossible local relapsing in the spleen, prevents continuous dissemination from the primary tumor site, and mostly corrects cytopenias, creating better conditions for chemotherapy.     

低剂量甲基汞在小鼠体内分布及其对细胞周期进程的影响

连续９０天饮用含甲基汞浓度为１／１０００ＬＤ５０、１／１００ＬＤ５０、１／５０ＬＤ５０和１／１０ＬＤ５０的自来水的雄性昆明小鼠，各脏器中总汞含量均高于对照组（Ｐ＜０．０５～０．００５），并且随着染毒剂量增加，脏器中总汞含量也随之增高。同时采用ＦＡＣＳｃａｎ流式细胞仪和“ＣｅｌｌＦＩＴ”软件分析脾细胞周期进程，发现除１／１０００ＬＤ５０剂量组外，其余各剂量组从Ｇｏ／Ｇ１时相进入Ｓ时相的脾细胞百分数均明显高于对照组（Ｐ＜０．０５），与染毒剂量呈明显正相关。表明连续经口摄入低剂量甲基汞小鼠脾细胞周期进程加快，细胞ＤＮＡ复制增强。     

Leukocytosis and low serum IgA in workers exposed to the epoxy compound,t-methyl-3-phenylglycidate

Summary Forty-nine out of 54 male workers engaged in the production of an epoxy compound, t-methyl-3-phenylglycidate, showed skin symptoms in varing degrees that may be due to the skin-irritative effect of the compound. The exposed workers were also shown to have subjective symptoms which may be related to the irritative property of the compound on surface tissue. Laboratory examinations on the blood obtained from the exposed workers showed significantly higher values of leukocyte concentration as compared with the non-exposed controls. This was chiefly caused by the increase of neutrophilic granulocytes and T-cell lymphocytes. Serum IgA levels of the exposed workers were shown to be significantly lower than those of the control group. Hemoglobin concentration, hematocrit value and red cell count of the exposed workers remained at the same level as those of the control subjects. Liver or kidney damage was not found in biochemical analyses on the sera of exposed workers.