Effects of intravenous L-acetylcarnitine on retinal oscillatory potentials

L-acetylcarnitine is a compound with cholinergic properties and putative action on the visual system and the glucose metabolism. Ten healthy, emmertropic volunteers (age range: 21 to 28 years) were studied. Each subject was administered 5, 10, and 30 mg/kg acute intravenous doses of L-acetylcarnitine and matching placebo. Retinal oscillatory potentials to full-field flash stimulation were recorded before and 30, 60, and 120 min after administration. A systematic reduction of the implicit time of the P2 and N2 oscillatory potential components was observed after administration of the 10 and 30 mg/kg doses: significant changes were not evident at the 5 mg dose or after placebo. The latency reduction was significantly correlated with the postdrug increment of the L-acetylcarnitine plasma concentration. No other systematic modification in latency of amplitude was observed.The results were presented in part at the XXV I.S.C.E.V. Symposium, Sarasota (Florida), April 26–30, 1987.     

液膜法提取发酵液中的苯丙氨酸 Ⅱ.操作工艺条件

从芫花Ｄａｐｈｎｅ ｇｅｎｋｗａ条的乙酸乙酯可溶部分分到３个结果性化合物，借助于波谱分析手段推断出Ⅱ为西瑞香素，Ⅲ为ｄａｐｈｎｏｄｏｒｉｎ Ｂ。     

格列齐特片的人体药代动力学及其相对生物利用度研究

建立了ＨＰＬＣ方法测定人血浆中格列齐特的药物浓度。采用反相柱和乙腈甲醇水（１５∶４５∶４０）（ｐＨ３．５）作为流动相，格列吡嗪作为内标，检测波长为λ２２８ｎｍ。研究了１０名健康受试者随机交叉口服某药厂研制的格列齐特片剂和标准参比制剂格列齐特片８０ｍｇ后，用ＨＰＬＣ法测定血浆中药物浓度。估算某药厂研制的格列齐特片和标准参比制剂的生物半衰期分别为９．９２±３．５２ｈ和９．９７±３．４５ｈ，达峰时间分别为３．５０±０．７１ｈ和３．８５±２．２６ｈ，峰浓度分别为５．７８±０．９５μｇ／ｍｌ和６．１４±１．５６μｇ／ｍｌ。以标准参比制剂为对照，用面积法估算的某药厂研制的格列齐特片剂的相对生物利用度为１．０１±０１１。经方差分析和双单侧检验两制剂的ＡＵＣ０４８和ＡＵＣ０∞及Ｃｍａｘ，结果表明两制剂生物等效。     

EMPACT syndrome

Background: Seizure prophylaxis with phenytoin is a common measure in oncologic patients with brain metastases. In these patients, generalized severe adverse drug reactions such as erythema multiforme (EEM) may occur. However, in a subgroup of patients with brain radiation therapy, EEM‐like lesions develop particularly in the radiation field. Most recently, the acronym EMPACT ( E rythema M ultiforme associated with P henytoin A nd C ranial radiation T herapy) was proposed to specifically describe this syndrome. Patient/Method: Here, we report on EMPACT syndrome in a 46‐year‐old woman. Therapeutic measures included seizure prophylaxis with phenytoin and total brain radiation therapy of brain metastases from bronchial carcinoma. Three weeks after introduction of phenytoin, the patient presented with EEM‐like skin lesions restricted to the original radiation field and facial mucocutaneous involvement. After a few days, the rash spread to the upper part of the body. She was also in poor general condition. Results: The immediate cessation of phenytoin therapy, combined with administration of systemic corticosteroids and high dose immunoglobulins along with intensive local treatment and pain medications, resulted in complete resolution of the skin eruption. Patch testing to phenytoin was positive after 72 hours. Conclusion: EMPACT should be classified as an specific entity among the EEM‐like drug reactions as it only appears after radiotherapy and seizure prophylaxis with the anticonvulsant phenytoin. We propose including specific type IV‐sensitization to phenytoin into the definition of EMPACT.     

Clinical Observation on the Efficacy of Babaodan Combined with Interventional Therapy for Primary Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Objective To observe the clinical effect of Babaodan combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization （TACE） therapy for primary hepatocellular carcinoma. Methods Selected patients were randomly assigned to two groups. One group accepted TACE only and the other group accepted TACE and took 2 Babaodan capsules orally 3 times a day for 8 weeks. Results After 8 weeks＇ treatment, the size of the tumors and the alpha foetal protein （AFP） concentration in all the patients in the two groups diminished and was not significantly different between the two groups （P〉0.05）. The ratio of stability and improvement in the traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndrome was higher in the Babaodan plus TACE group than it was in the TACE only group （P〈0.05）. There were more complications in the TACE only group than in the Babaodan plus TACE group. The one-year survival rate in the Babaodan plus TACE group was higher than in the TACE group （P〈0.05）. Conclusion Babaodan can improve TCM syndrome, reduce complications and prolong survival of patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma.     

Epidemiological considerations following long-term surveillance of invasive group A streptococcal disease in The Netherlands, 1992–2003

A nationwide laboratory-based surveillance system for invasive group A streptococcal (GAS) infections was conducted in The Netherlands from March 1992 until December 2003. Until 1996, all isolates submitted were evaluated clinically and demographically. During this period there was a transition from passive to active surveillance for some of the participating laboratories, corresponding to a national coverage of 50%. During active surveillance, participating laboratories submitted twice as many isolates from invasive GAS disease, whereas the relative submission of isolates representing very severe manifestations (toxic shock-like syndrome, fatality) did not increase. From 1997 onwards, invasiveness was defined solely on the basis of source of isolation (without clinical evaluation). During the period of microbiological and clinical evaluation, microbiological evaluation alone was found to be specific (> 99%), but had limited sensitivity (66%). Estimation of the true rate of invasive GAS disease should be based on an active surveillance system with inclusion of both microbiological and clinical data.     

Sodium removal and sodium concentration during peritoneal dialysis: effects of three methods of sodium measurement.

BACKGROUND: Sodium removal (NaR) may have a major impact on the survival of peritoneal dialysis patients. The dialysate/plasma sodium concentration ratio (D/P(Na)) is an indirect index of transcellular water transport by aquaporin channels, and thus of ultrafiltration. Sodium concentration can be assessed by means of flame photometry (F), and direct (D-ISE) or indirect ion-selective electrodes (I-ISE), but these methods have different properties. I-ISE is being used increasingly in clinical laboratories. The aim of this study was to evaluate NaR and D/P(Na) using the three different measurement methods. METHODS: We performed peritoneal equilibration tests (PETs) in 44 peritoneal dialysis patients and calculated the NaR. We also calculated D/P(Na) during the test; plasma and dialysate sodium concentrations were measured by F, D-ISE and I-ISE. RESULTS: NaR was lower (P<0.001) with D-ISE (69+/-29 mmol) than with F (81+/-29 mmol) or I-ISE (79+/-28 mmol). D/P(Na) was also lower at baseline (0.92+/-0.02 vs 0.95+/-0.02 and 0.95+/-0.02; P<0.001), after 60 min (0.87+/-0.03 vs 0.90+/-0.03 and 0.90+/-0.03; P<0.001) and at the end of PET (0.88+/-0.04 vs 0.92+/-0.04 and 0.92+/-0.04; P<0.001) when measured by D-ISE in comparison with F and I-ISE, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: NaR and D/P(Na) were lower when measured by the D-ISE method compared with the F and I-ISE methods. NaR and D/P(Na) were similar when measured by F or I-ISE. I-ISE can be used reliably in the evaluation of NaR and D/P(Na) in everyday clinical practice of peritoneal dialysis.     

急性重型脑损伤患者脑组织氧代谢监测及意义

目的　探讨对急性重型脑损伤患者行脑组织氧代谢监测的临床意义。　方法对2 8例急性重型脑损伤患者 (均在全麻下急诊行血肿清除术和 (或 )去骨瓣减压术 )术中及术后持续进行脑组织氧代谢监测 ,观察脑组织氧分压 (PbtO2 )、二氧化碳分压 (PbtCO2 )和pH值 (pHbt)的变化。　结果　 (1) 2 8例脑外伤患者在剪开硬脑膜后PbtO2 、pHbt分别从 (13± 4 )mmHg、(6 .96± 0 .15 )增加至 (2 1± 5 )mmHg、7.0 5± 0 .12 (P <0 .0 5 ) ,PbtCO2 从 (6 1± 6 )mmHg下降至 (5 3± 5 )mmHg(P <0 .0 5 )。(2 )其中 2 4例脑外伤患者在血肿清除后 ,PbtO2 、pHbt值分别从 (2 1± 4 )mmHg、7.0 5± 0 .11增加至 (2 8± 6 )mmHg、7.15± 0 .10 (P <0 .0 5 ) ,PbtCO2 从 (5 2± 6 )mmHg下降至 (4 5± 4 )mmHg(P <0 .0 5 )。 (3)PbtO2 <10mmHg持续 30min以上的患者预后差。　结论　 (1)脑组织氧代谢监测是一种安全、可靠的监测手段 ,能直接动态反映脑组织的病理生理变化 ,及时发现脑组织缺血缺氧 ,以指导治疗。 (2 )持续进行脑组织氧代谢监测可判断重型脑外伤患者的预后。     

Dysphoric Rumination Impairs Concentration on Academic Tasks

Three studies investigated the effects of dysphoric rumination on concentration during 3 academic tasks—reading a passage from the GRE (Study 1), watching a videotaped lecture (Study 2), and proofreading written text (Study 3). Before performing these tasks, dysphoric and nondysphoric students were induced either to ruminate about themselves or to distract themselves by focusing on neutral images (all three studies) or by planning an event (Study 1). The results supported our hypothesis that dysphoric rumination, relative to distraction, would impair students' concentration. In all 3 studies, dysphoric ruminators reported difficulty concentrating, as well as interfering thoughts, during the relevant academic tasks. Furthermore, dysphoric ruminators were slower than dysphoric distractors in completing the tasks—specifically, reading the GRE passage (Study 1) and answering lecture comprehension questions (Study 2). In addition, dysphoric participants who ruminated showed impaired reading strategies (Study 1), reduced comprehension of academic material (Study 2), and poor proofreading performance (Study 3). These findings suggest that, in addition to its documented adverse effects on mood, thinking, and problem-solving, self-focused rumination interferes with instrumental behavior. Implications for social relationships and job performance are discussed.