Varitest plethysmography

Varitest plethysmography is a non-invasive diagnostic method of venous insufficiency based on the study of the emptying of leg veins by flexion movements and their subsequent filling. The Varitest records the curves and measurements of these two stages. The physiological bases of the test and its technique are presented. Our experience, following the first few cases, enabled us to identify three main groups of patients:--Patients presenting chronic symptoms, in whom the clinical examination was negative or not obvious;--Patients presenting a problem of differential diagnosis with a deep/superficial or mixed chronic venous insufficiency. It also enabled us to specify the results of the treatments. According to our results, Varitest is a simple, easy to reproduce method, presenting a sensitivity and specificity with regard to the clinical symptoms and the Doppler, of approximately 80%. Its negative aspects are the poor collaboration of the patients or their inability to be available in order to study acute venous thromboses.     

Apoptosis and asthma in the elderly.

BACKGROUND: Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways. The persistence of airway inflammation depends on a decrease in apoptosis of T lymphocytes and eosinophils and survival of these activated cells. T lymphocytes expressing gamma delta receptors can be identified in human lungs and play an important role in immune defence against pathogens and in the regulation of chronic inflammation. Aging is associated with evidence of some immune dysregulation. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyze the apoptosis receptors of T lymphocytes in long-lasting asthma, to establish their correlation with activation markers such as CD25+ and human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DR+, and to analyze the gama delta T cell expression in this disease. METHODS: A group of 64 individuals (group A) who had had asthma for more than 30 years (mean age [+/-SD] 72 +/- 5 years) and 61 healthy individuals acting as controls--group B with 41 individuals (mean age 79 +/- 7 years) and group C with 20 individuals (mean age 38 +/- 12 years) were included in the study. All subjects underwent clinical evaluation and spirometric testing. Peripheral blood cells were stained with monoclonal antibodies anti-CD3, anti-CD4, anti-CD8, anti-CD25, anti-TCR gamma delta, anti-HLA-DR and anti-CD95. Statistical comparisons were performed between the asthmatics and the elderly control group and between the elderly control group and the adult control group. RESULTS: The average percentage of predicted forced expiratory volume in the first second was 73.6 gamma delta 25.3. The mean values of T cell receptors for asthma group A vs elderly control group B vs adult control group C respectively, were the following: CD3, 74.9+/-7 vs. 74.8 +/- 8.8 (P=ns) vs. 76.7 +/- 4.2 (P=ns); CD4, 48.8 +/- 8.7 vs. 43.5 +/- 10.2 (P=ns) vs. 44.8 +/- 3.8 (P=ns); CD8, 23.3 +/- 7.9 vs. 25.7 +/- 10.2 (P=ns) vs. 25.6 +/- 4.5 (P=ns); CD25, 14.3 +/- 5.9 vs. 22.4 +/- 7.8 (P = .0001) vs. 5.5 +/- 2.4 (P = .0001); TCR gamma delta, 2.8 +/- 2.1 vs. 4.1 +/- 3.3 (P < .05) vs. 4.6 +/- 2.1 (P=ns); HLA-DR, 18.4 +/- 9.2 vs. 17.8 +/- 5.9 (P=ns) vs. 15.4 +/- 5.1 (P=ns) and CD95, 49.3 +/- 13.7 vs. 52.6 +/- 12.1 (P=ns) vs. 13.8 +/- 10.8 (P = .0001). CONCLUSIONS: The immunological and inflammatory changes related to ageing may cause an increase in CD95 and CD25 T cell expression. In asthma, blood cells may express increased activation and apoptosis markers but in elderly patients taking steroids, these receptors remain within normal ranges. The number of gamma delta T cells may be lower in long-lasting asthma, and have a limited modulatory effect on allergic inflammatory reactions. The evaluation of patients with long-lasting asthma should take into account the immunological and inflammatory changes present in the elderly in order to avoid results being misinterpreted.     

A model-based detector of vertex waves and K complexes in sleep electroencephalogram.

A model of sleep phasic events such as vertex waves, K complexes, delta waves and sleep spindles is proposed. It consists of feedback loops that are driven by white noise (simulating tonic delta and sigma activity) and by isolated random impulses, simulating vertex waves or K complexes, depending on the background tonic activity. A model-based method for the detection of sleep phasic events was implemented in a personal computer. Its performance was investigated using simulated and real whole-night EEG signals. The method was able to detect K complexes and vertex waves in a reliable way in spite of their variable shapes and in the presence of a variety of background activities. The detector appears to have superior performance to those so far reported in the literature. The performance of the detector was also compared to that of an electroencephalographer using normal sleep EEG records of 8 h duration from 6 subjects. The performance was satisfactory both in terms of accuracy and reliability. The problem of detecting K complexes in stages 3 and 4 of sleep is discussed.     

Unusual central chorioretinitis as the first manifestation of early secondary syphilis

Three young, otherwise healthy patients had a similar picture of unilateral central chorioretinitis associated with severe visual loss. Fluorescein angiography disclosed diffuse leakage under the neurosensory retina in the posterior pole, associated with multifocal areas of staining along the retinal vessels. Systemic examination showed a positive fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption test and a sharp increase in VDRL titers, indicative of active secondary syphilis. The patients responded dramatically to penicillin treatment, with visual recovery and resolution of the fundus lesions.     

心包内处理肺血管及心房部分切除治疗中心型肺癌

１９８７年５月至１９９３年１２月对１６例较晚期肺癌采用心包内处理肺血管及心房部分切除的方法作了全肺切除术，肿瘤均为中心型。ＣＴ扫描显示隆突下或主肺动脉窗淋巴结肿大者占５０％，术中见肺动脉，肺静脉均受累者８例，肺静脉受累者６例，２例作左心室部分切除，１５例恢复良好，１例术中大出血致心脏停搏，复苏后并发脑水肿昏迷死亡。我们认为，心包内处理肺血管全肺切除提高了手术切除率，且手术过程较安全可靠，作者对这种     

抗醛糖还原酶单克隆抗体的制备与特性鉴定

目的:制备抗醛糖还原酶(AR)的单克隆抗体(mAb),并与本室制备的抗醛糖还原酶相似蛋白(ARL-1)mAb进行比较。方法:经RT-PCR获得AR基因,将基因插入pGEX-4T-1(His)6C中,构建重组质粒pGEX-4T-1(His)6C-AR,以重组质粒转化E.coliRosetta诱导表达GST-AR蛋白。以纯化的GST-AR蛋白免疫BALB/c小鼠,采用杂交瘤技术制备mAb。应用间接ELISA和Western blot方法对mAb进行筛选和鉴定。使用Clustalx和Antheprot软件,比较AR与ARL-1的同源性,表达GST-dAR[80~142氨基酸(aa)],与ARL-1差异较大;并分析AR的抗原性,表达GST-dA1(1~79aa)、GST-dA2(80~99aa)、GST-dA3(111~142aa)、GST-dA4(143~316aa)。利用AR全长及截短蛋白,采用Western blot分析制备的抗AR mAb识别AR抗原的部位。结果:获得3株稳定分泌抗AR mAb的杂交瘤细胞系ARB3、AR7B3G4和ARF10。3株抗GST-AR的mAb均为IgG1(κ型),腹水mAb效价为1∶4×105,细胞培养上清mAb效价为1∶1×104,3株mAb均可与胎盘组织中的AR蛋白起反应,而与GST-ARL-1和GST蛋白无交叉反应。它们分别为抗GST-dA1、GST-dA3和GST-dA4蛋白的mAb。结论:成功地制备了3株特异性抗AR mAb,可分别识别AR的1~79、111~142、143~316位氨基酸。将它们与抗ARL-1mAb联合应用,将有助于进一步研究AR与ARL-1蛋白的功能,并为深入探讨AR、ARL-1与相关疾病的关系及进行大规模的流行病学调查提供了有力的工具。     

Gonadotropin levels in Turner's syndrome: correlation with breast development and hormone replacement therapy.

We conducted a study of the basal levels of gonadotropins in 38 patients with Turner's syndrome, 14 of whom were using hormone replacement therapy (HRT). The gonadotropin levels were compared with pubertal development and HRT. Seven patients had presented spontaneous menarche; five patients maintained their periods and normal gonadotropin levels, and two developed secondary amenorrhea and high gonadotropin levels. The majority of patients on HRT had high gonadotropin levels. Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) levels were significantly lower (p = 0.001) in patients with breast development at stage 5, regardless of whether the patient had undergone a spontaneous or a hormonally induced puberty. We concluded that gonadotropin levels are normal in those patients with spontaneous periods, and are high in most patients on HRT; and that FSH levels are significantly lower in those patients with breasts at stage 5.