Plasma lyso-phosphatidylcholine concentration is decreased in cancer patients with weight loss and activated inflammatory status

Background  

It has been observed that ras-transformed cell lines in culture have a higher phosphatidylcholine (PC) biosynthesis rate as well as higher PC-degradation rate (increased PC-turnover) than normal cells. In correspondence to these findings, the concentrations of the PC-degradation product lyso-phosphatidylcholine (LPC) in cancer patients were found to be decreased. Our objective was the systematic investigation of the relationship between LPC and inflammatory and nutritional parameters in cancer patients. Therefore, plasma LPC concentrations were assessed in 59 cancer patients and related to nutritional and inflammatory parameters. To determine LPC in blood plasma we developed and validated a HPTLC method.     

云南白药与维生素K4治疗肺结核少量咯血80例

咯血是肺结核最常见的并发症之一，多见于初、复治的Ⅲ型肺结核病人，尤其是有空洞形成者。笔者近10年来采用云南白药(或云南白药胶囊)与维生素K4联合治疗初、复治肺结核引起少量咯血的病人，收到了较理想的效果，报告如下。     

温针灸治疗颞下颌关节功能紊乱病36例

目的:比较温针灸与口服西药治疗颞下颌关节功能紊乱病的疗效。方法:治疗组36例取下关、牵正、颊车、阿是穴、合谷(双)行温针灸,对照组口服地西泮、吲哚美辛。结果:治疗组治愈率80·6%、总有效率100%,对照组治愈率40·6%、总有效率78·1%,两组有非常显著性差异(P<0.01)。结论:温针灸治疗颞下颌关节功能紊乱病方法简单,疗效显著。     

Sympathoadrenal excitation and inhibition by lower brainstem stimulation in cats

Effects of stimulation of brainstem sites on hemodynamics and plasma catecholamine levels were assessed in cats under chloralose-urethane anesthesia. Pressor areas of the dorsal medulla (DM) and ventrolateral medulla (VLM) and the depressor area of the paramedian reticular nucleus (PRN) were stimulated electrically using a monopolar electrode, or chemically using sodium glutamate microinjection. Plasma levels of norepinephrine (NE) and epinephrine (EPI) were measured in caval blood above the adrenal veins. Electrical stimulation of the DM and VLM produced increases in blood pressure and in plasma NE and EPI levels that were enhanced after acute vagotomies. The NE and EPI responses were attenuated after acute, bilateral adrenalectomies, confirming augmented adrenomedullary secretion, whereas the pressor responses were intact. Injection of sodium glutamate into the same pressor regions of the DM or VLM also produced pressor responses and elevated plasma catecholamine levels, indicating that the responses resulted from activation of neuronal perikarya. Stimulation of the PRN attenuated pressor and catecholamine responses during stimulation of the DM and VLM. The results indicate that pressor responses during stimulation of the DM and VLM are due at least partly to activation of perikarya in these regions, are associated with but not dependent on adrenomedullary activation, and are enhanced after vagotomy; and that neurons of the PRN exert inhibitory modulation of the pressor and adrenomedullary responses during stimulation of VLM and DM.     

Invasion of the skull base by carcinomas: histopathologically evidenced findings with CT and MRI

The depth and extent of the invasion of the skull base by a tumor are the most critical information for successful en bloc resection of the tumor. The only means available for the evaluation of these factors are CT or MRI images. In order to clarify the ability of these imaging modes to delineate the invasion of the skull base, preoperative images of ten patients who underwent en bloc resection of skull base tumors at Kobe University Hospital were compared with the histopathological findings of the resected specimens. CT proved to be superior to MRI for evaluating bone destruction of the skull base. On the other hand, MRI provided more useful information about intracranial invasion than CT. As a hypertrophic linear shadow on Gd-enhanced MRI represented dural invasion or thickened dura mater adjacent to the tumor, this technique should be taken into consideration to determine the dural resection. We concluded that preoperative evaluation of the depth of skull base invasion by both CT and Gd-enhanced MRI is essential for planning complete tumor resection.