Diagnosis goes digital.

Accurate images of the craniofacial region are critical for the development of an orthodontic diagnosis and treatment plan. The NewTom QR 9000 Volume Scanner (QR s.r.l., Verona, Italy) represents a significant advance in imaging capabilities for dentistry and orthodontics. This new-generation scanner uses computed tomography technology to provide a complete 3D view of the maxilla and mandible with relatively high resolution and low radiation exposure to patients. This article discusses some technical aspects of this new scanner and its possible orthodontic uses.     

浅谈基层医院如何掌握胆囊息肉样病变手术指征

胆囊息肉病变(PLG)临床并不少见,手术是根治的主要方法,但并非所有胆囊息肉都需手术治疗。因其病变类型不同,大小不一,疾病转归亦不尽相同,因此其手术适应证各家医院掌握也不一致。我院自1996年1月至2006年6月共收治胆囊息肉病人128例,其中手术切除胆囊119例,具体分析如下。     

Chronic vitamin E treatment prevents defective endothelium-dependent relaxation in diabetic rat aorta

Summary We examined the effect in rats of 2 months of streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus on relaxation and contraction of aortas in vitro. A further diabetic group was treated from time of diabetes induction with a 1% dietary supplement of vitamin E. Diabetes caused a 26.5% deficit (p<0.001) in maximum endothelium-dependent relaxation to acetylcholine in phenylephrine-precontracted aortas. This was 64.3% attenuated (p<0.01) by vitamin E treatment; maximum relaxation was not significantly altered compared to non-diabetic rats. Vitamin E treatment of non-diabetic rats did not significantly affect acetylcholine-induced relaxation. Diabetes or treatment did not significantly alter acetylcholine sensitivity. Endothelium-independent relaxation response to glyceryl trinitrate was not affected by diabetes or vitamin E treatment, indicating that vascular smooth muscle responses to nitric oxide remained unaltered. There was a 35.4% reduction in the maximum contractile response to phenylephrine with diabetes (p<0.05) which was unaffected by vitamin E treatment. The data suggest that the chronic deficit in nitric oxide-mediated endothelium-dependent relaxation in diabetes depends largely upon excess activity of reactive oxygen species. Treatment with vitamin E to increase free radical scavenging specifically protected vascular endothelium although it had no effect on deficits in vascular smooth muscle contractile responses.Abbreviations NO Nitric oxide - ARI aldose reductase inhibitor - ACH acetylcholine - GTN glyceryl trinitrate - GSH reduced form of glutathione - EC₅₀ effective concentration for 50% of the maximal response     

Clinicopathologic analysis of eight cases of pancreatic carcinoid tumors

Carcinoids of the pancreas are exceedingly rare tumors that orieinate from the enterochromaffin cells of the gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine system. According to a recent report,1 pancreatic carcinoids are found in only 0.58% (79/13 715 cases) of the entire carcinoid group. Todate, very limited information regarding the detection and diagnosis of this entity has been reported in the available literature. Although pancreatic carcinoid tumors grow.     

耐药性癫(癎)患者颞叶中细胞周期依赖性蛋白激酶5的表达

目的 研究细胞周期依赖性蛋白激酶5(cyclin dependent kinases 5,CDK5)在耐药性癫(癎)患者颞叶中的表达,探索其在耐药性癫(癎)发病机制中的作用.方法 收集耐药性癫(癎)患者术后脑组织,用荧光定量PCR、免疫组化和Western blot 3种检测方法从基因和蛋白水平分别测定CDK5在耐药性癫(癎)患者颞叶中的表达,并与对照组进行比较.结果 荧光定量PCR发现CDK5 mRAN比对照组明显增加,免疫组化检测显示这种基因的蛋白表达产物主要分布在神经元轴突和胶质细胞中,Western blot检测在相对分子质量35 000处有一蛋白条带,并且可见实验组(颞叶和海马中分别为1.4293±0.1839和2.0733±0.4738)高于对照组(颞叶和海马中分别为0.9680±0.4147和1.403±0.6163,P＜0.05).结论 CDK5在耐药性癫(癎)患者颞叶中表达增强,提示他们可能参与了耐药性癫(癎)的形成.     

关节镜下应用“微骨折”方法修复关节软骨缺损

目的:探讨关节镜下应用“微骨折”技术对膝关节全层关节软骨缺损修复的效果。方法:对68例全层关节软骨缺损患者进行随机分组:实验组(35例),男17例,女18例,平均年龄35.1岁,采用关节清理后应用“微骨折”技术进行处理,即利用骨刀设计的特性和适度的锤击力量造成软骨下的骨组织微小骨折,刺激软骨生长。对照组(33例),男17例,女16例,平均年龄31.6岁,仅作关节清理术。结果:术后随访6~18个月,平均8.6个月,按Lysholm评分标准,实验组明显优于对照组(P<0.01)。结论:关节镜下应用“微骨折”技术能够显著减轻关节疼痛,增加关节活动度,改善关节功能,是一种简单有效的修复全层关节软骨缺损方法。     

RNA干扰及其在胶质瘤基因治疗中的应用

RNA干扰（RNA interference。RNAi）是双链RNA（double—stranded RNA，dsRNA）降解特异性靶基因转录出的mRNA。从而抑制靶蛋白表达的现象。自从二十世纪九十年代发现RNAi这一现象以来，RNAi已被广泛应用于研究基因功能、信号转导通路和基因治疗等方面。随着分子生物学、分子遗传学等学科的发展．发现了许多与肿瘤发生、发展和预后密切相关的基因。经过大量临床前期试验表明，针对特异性靶基因的小干扰RNA（short／small interfering RNA．siRNA）治疗胶质瘤是行之有效的。为基因治疗胶质瘤提供了新的思路。[第一段]     

载脂蛋白E基因多态性与脑梗死的相关性分析

目的　探讨载脂蛋白 E基因多态性与脑梗死的关系。方法　通过聚合酶链反应 -限制性片段长度多态性 (PCR- RFL P)分析结合 DNA直接银染技术检测 6 6例脑梗死 (CI)患者的载脂蛋白 E(Apo E)基因型 (其中家系中有明确脑梗死先证者的家族聚集性脑梗死 (FMACI)亚组 2 6例 ,家系中无脑卒中史的非家族聚集性脑梗死 (NF-MACI)亚组 4 0例 ) ,并与 90例健康对照组比较 ,同时检测血脂、脂蛋白 (a) [L P(a) ]及部分载脂蛋白。结果　脑梗死组ε3/4基因型频率明显高于对照组 (P<0 .0 1) ,ε3/3基因型频率明显低于对照组 (P<0 .0 1) ;两脑梗死亚组之间的ε3/4/ε3/3基因型频率虽有上升 /下降趋势 ,但未发现明显的统计学差异 ;FMACI组高密度脂蛋白 (HDL )水平明显低于 NFMACI组 (P<0 .0 5 )。结论　 Apo E基因多态性与脑梗死的发生有关 ,ε4等位基因是脑梗死的易感因子 ,ε3等位基因对脑梗死的发生有保护作用 ;Apo E基因多态性和 HDL水平双重作用于家族聚集性脑梗死的发生。     

Carcinoma of the body and tail of the pancreas.

Recently, several institutions have reported improved results in the treatment of patients with carcinoma of the head of the pancreas. In an attempt to determine whether similar trends could be demonstrated for patients with carcinoma of the body and tail of the pancreas, the records of all 113 patients with an adenocarcinoma of the body or tail of the pancreas treated at The Johns Hopkins Hospital between 1972 and 1989 were reviewed. The patients were divided into two groups: those diagnosed between 1972 and 1982 (41 patients) and those between 1983 and 1989 (72 patients). No significant differences in tumor stage were observed between the two groups. The proportion of patients who underwent surgery decreased from 68% to 47% (p = 0.02). The number of patients who had bypass operations (15% versus 17%) or pancreatic resection (5% versus 10%) was similar in the two groups, but the proportion of patients who underwent exploratory laparotomy with biopsy only decreased from 49% to 21% (p = 0.002). The postoperative 30-day mortality (7% versus 3%), postoperative morbidity (18% versus 21%), median survival (4 months versus 3 months), and the 1-year survival (8% versus 9%) did not differ significantly between the two groups. One patient survived for 6 years after resection, and another patient is still alive 3 years after resection. Thus, unlike adenocarcinoma of the head of the pancreas, it appears that treatment results for patients with adenocarcinoma of the body or tail of the pancreas have not improved in recent years, the only change being a decreased need for exploratory laparotomy with biopsy only.     

Adherence of Staphylococcus aureus to cultures of human peritoneal mesothelial cells

Strains of Staphylococcus aureus, isolated from the effluentof patients with peritonitis on CAPD (continuous ambulatoryperitoneal dialysis), adhered well to both cultured human mesothelialcells and to fibronectin, but not to laminin or gelatin. Mesothelialcells grown in medium M199 exhibited more surface fibronectincompared to cells grown in MEM-Dval and demonstrated higherlevels of S. aureus adherence. Soluble fibronectin concentrations up to lOµg/ml increasedthe adherence of S. aureusto cultured mesothelial cells. Thedose-response curve was consistent with the binding of fibronectinto a saturable receptor of apparent dissociation constant (K_D)= 1.7xlO^–10 M. This corresponds closely to the K_D (2xlO^–10M) of the staphylococcal fibronectin-binding protein. S. aureus adherence was increased following the preincubationof mesothelial cell monolayers with interleukin-1 and was maximalafter 6 h preincubation. Treating mesothelial cells with interferon-gammafor 48–72 h reduced the adherence of S. aureus.