Recognition and management of phaeochromocytoma

Phaeochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PPGL) are catecholamine-secreting neuroendocrine tumours. These tumours may be identified incidentally, as part of a work-up for multiple endocrine neoplasia or following haemodynamic surges during unrelated procedures. Advances in preoperative management and improved management of intraoperative haemodynamic instability have significantly reduced surgical mortality from around 40% to less than 3%. Surgery is the definitive treatment in most cases and laparoscopic resection where possible is associated with improved outcomes. Anaesthetic management of PPGL cases represents a unique haemodynamic challenge both before, during and after tumour resection. In this article we describe the physiology of these tumours, their diagnosis, preoperative optimization methods, intraoperative anaesthetic management and management of postoperative complications.     

哈乐在良性前列腺增生伴急性尿潴留中的应用

目的 :探讨α1A肾上腺素能受体阻滞剂哈乐 (tamsulosin)对良性前列腺增生 (BPH)伴急性尿潴留病人的治疗作用。方法 :对 72例BPH伴急性尿潴留病人采用随机、对照研究 ,分为治疗组和对照组。病人均行保留导尿 ,口服抗生素治疗。治疗组加用哈乐 0 .4mg ,1次 /d ,连续服用 3次。 72h后拔除导尿管。　结果 :拔除导尿管后 4 4 % (32 / 72 )的病人能自行排尿。有效率治疗组为 6 1% (2 2 / 36 ) ,对照组为 2 8% (10 / 36 ) ,两组比较差异有显著性 (P <0 .0 1)。　结论 :对BPH伴急性尿潴留应用哈乐治疗 ,可提高早期拔除导尿管后病人自行排尿的成功率 ,且疗效与前列腺体积大小无关。     

α核素非均匀微观分布对细胞微剂量的影响

目的探讨放射免疫治疗中α核素在细胞水平上非均匀微观分布对细胞S因子的影响。方法利用蒙特卡罗方法随机模拟α粒子的发射;基于连续慢化近似模型,根据α粒子剩余射程-能量的关系,采用插值法计算α粒子入射动能和出射动能,得到其在靶区内的能量沉积。以213Po为例,计算了不同细胞大小及核素不同微观分布（均匀分布、中心分布、随核素距细胞中心的距离线性递增、线性递减、指数递增、指数递减）下细胞对细胞的S因子。结果213Po均匀分布下的S（C←C）与Hamacher给出的结果符合得很好;不同微分布下的S（C←C）有显著差别。分析表明,核素不同微观分布所造成的α粒子在靶区内运动的平均弦长的显著变化,以及由此产生的α粒子平均碰撞阻止本领的变化,是造成细胞S因子有显著差别的主要原因。结论放射性核素非均匀微分布类型显著影响细胞S因子的大小,在估算细胞吸收剂量时应予以重视。     

Lung function, smoking and survival in severe alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency, PiZZ

Lung function, smoking, age and mortality data in 158 adult severe alpha₁-antitrypsin deficient, PiZZ individuals, followed from 1963 to 1982 were analyzed. Low initial FEV₁ value was significantly associated with increased mortality (p < 0.005). A 3 yr mortality rate of 40% was found in individuals whose initial FEV₁ values were less than 30% of that predicted. In contrast, the corresponding 3-yr mortality among those whose initial FEV₁ values were between 30 and 65% of that predicted was only 7%. Smokers were found to have significantly lower FEV₁ levels (p = 0.008) and higher mortality (p < 0.005) than non-smokers. The difference between current and ex-smokers in mortality and FEV₁ level were not statistically significant (p = 0.9 and p>0.25, respectively). Cross-sectional analysis of the initial FEV₁ values indicated a significant decline (p < 0.005) of FEV₁ with increasing age. This decline was greater among smokers than non-smokers. Longitudinal analysis of FEV₁ rates of decline in 80 cases with follow-up FEV₁ measurements failed to detect any significant differences between smokers and non-smokers, but was performed late in the disease process. The application of these results to the planning of studies on replacement therapy, smoking intervention strategy and longitudinal follow-up is discussed.     

Cerebrospinal fluid-filtration reduces TNF alpha in bacterial meningitis-CSF

A 37 year old male was admitted with the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis. Pneumococci were seen in the Gram stain of the cerebrospinal fluid. The clinical condition did not suggest severely raised intracranial pressure, there were no localizing signs and symptoms. CSF was turpid, with 20.100/3/mm³, mainly polymorphonuclear cells. Tumor necrosis factor alpha in CSp was greatly increased with 813 pg/ml. Parallel to the application of intravenous Penicillin G a CSF filtration was carried out. Within 214 h 225 ml CSF were filtrated through a Pall-filter, using a bidirectional pump. Cell count dropped to 720/3 cells/mm³, TNF-alpha to 39 pg/ml. The clinical course was uneventful, on day 12 the patient could be discharged without sequelae. CSF filtration may be a highly effective method to reduce from the CSF pathogenetically important cytokines, such as TNF-alpha, being responsible for intrathecal/meningeal inflammatory processes and triggered by cell-wall components of bacteria, e.g. pneumococci.     

Trichloroethanol is not a metabolite of alpha chloralose

Head space capillary gas chromatography was used to detect alpha chloralose and its potent metabolite, trichloroethanol in clinical and forensic cases. Although alpha chloralose was identified in blood and urine in all cases, trichloroethanol was never detected. In a fatal case the alpha chloralose concentration in blood was 151.3 mg/l. It was concluded that trichloroethanol is not a metabolite of alpha chloralose.     

A method for reducing background tracks in plastic detectors

The purpose of the present study was to reduce background tracks by removing a given surface layer of the 250 μm thick lexan polycarbonate foils before exposure to alpha particles. Ethylenediamine solution was used for taking layers from the surface of the foils.     

MEG Characterization of Spontaneous Alpha Rhythm in the Human Brain

The present piece of research studied the spontaneous alpha rhythm of the human brain by combining the use of a whole-cortex neuromagnetometer and Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Single trials of spontaneous brain activity were recorded from ten human subjects asked to rest, with their eyes either closed or open, in relaxed wakefulness. MEG measurements were conducted over a period of one and a half years. The replicability of the results was confirmed for eight subjects out of ten. For three subjects, the alpha rhythm did not show any reductions due to the opening of the eyes. Both field map pattern and location of the estimated source were persistently stationary during each of the bursts of oscillations of the alpha rhythm. Dipoles were concentrated in clusters, indicating the existence of several spatially distributed sources. The calcarine fissure, the parieto-occipital sulcus and the surrounding occipital and parieto-occipital areas were identified as cortical sites of the brain where the alpha rhythm may originate. For four subjects, the majority of the sources were located near or in the calcarine fissure, while for five subjects, they were located near or in the parieto-occipital sulcus and for the remaining subject they were equally divided between the two generation sites.     

EEG asymmetries may be affected by cranial and Brain parenchymal asymmetries

Summary The plagiocephaly index, an index that reflects an underlying anatomic asymmetry of the brain, was assessed in ten schizophrenic patients and its values were correlated with the lateral distribution of quantitatively evaluated EEG. The correlations between the index and alpha power at F7 were significant, positive for frontal asymmetry (frontal bulging) and negative for occipital flattening. We then studied ten normal subjects in an attempt to illuminate the contribution of several cephalic and cranial variables to the imbalance of alpha-afterdischarges (AD) of VEP recorded at O1–O2. The asymmetry index of AD was computed and correlated with asymmetries of CT-derived measures of occipital bone thickness, occipital lobe width, mastoid area, and sulcal asymmetry (the asymmetry of intraparietal sulcus location from the longitudinal fissure). With the exception of the sulcal variable all measures significantly covaried with alpha AD. These findings caution that it may be important to determine cranial and brain parenchymal asymmetries where brain laterality is pertinent to studies of EEG.