Association of achalasia and pulmonary Mycobacterium fortuitum infection

A case of achalasia complicated by Mycobacterium fortuitum pulmonary infection and empyema is reported. This association has been documented in the medical literature. Possible mechanisms explaining this association are discussed.     

Congestive cardiomyopathy in association with AIDS

During a 10-month period in 1985 and 1986, three cases of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and a rapidly progressive fatal cardiomyopathy were encountered. All three patients originally presented with common opportunistic infections and later experienced marked congestive heart failure associated with echocardiographic and radiologic findings consistent with four-chamber cardiomyopathy. Diffuse cardiomyopathy was confirmed postmortem, but in each case a specific cause was not found.     

核、膜蛋白的基因能抑制禽类流感病毒及其重组株的繁殖

对人流感病毒A/Udorn/72(H_3N_2)株与禽类流感病毒A/Mallard/NY/78/(H_2N_2)重组后的重组株分析表明,仅含禽类病毒的核蛋白(NP)或膜蛋白(M)的RNA片段的重组株,在松鼠猴的呼吸道繁殖是受限制的。另外。仅有禽类的RNAl和NS基因的重组株(Clone 12)在松鼠猴的气管内的繁殖也明显受限制,而只具有其中一个基因的Clone 9, Clone 2, 则限制就不明显。由此表明,禽类流感病毒的NP和M基因在宿主范围的繁殖限制中起主要作用,而RNAI和SN基因的结合,同样起着繁殖受限制作用。     

抗甲状腺药物诱导的狼疮样综合征循证诊断与治疗的个案分析

狼疮样综合征和抗中性粒细胞胞浆抗体(ANCA)阳性的血管炎合并甲亢在临床中十分罕见.为了找出这三种疾病之间的关系,作者借助循证医学的方法,根据患者病情,提出临床问题,从PubMed(1966～2003年)、中国生物医学文献数据库(CBM)(1978～2003年)、荷兰医学文摘数据库(EMBase)(1974～2003年)查找相关信息.结果发现抗甲状腺药物的副反应是对该病例的最好解释,并据此采取了相应治疗措施,使患者病情获得明显好转.     

雪灵芝对二乙基亚硝胺诱导大鼠肝癌组织细胞的抑制作用

目的：验证雪灵芝是否具有抑制大鼠肝癌的功效。方法：实验于2003—09/2004—08在广西疾病预防控制中心SPF级动物实验室完成。选用健康成年SD大鼠160只。按体质量分层随机分为5组：空白对照组、模型组、雪灵芝高剂量组、雪灵芝中剂量组和雪灵芝低剂量组，每组32只。雪灵芝高、中、低剂量组大鼠分别灌胃2．500，1．250，0．625mL/kg雪灵芝溶液，阴性对照组和模型组灌胃等量蒸馏水，1次／d，连续60d。第61天开始雪灵芝高、中、低剂量组和模型组灌胃二乙基亚硝胺溶液，对照组灌胃等量的生理盐水。于停止灌胃90d后各组处死一半受试大鼠（雌雄各半），检测血常规及血清主要生化指标，观察各脏器大体形态改变、脏器的癌变程度。1周后给剩余大鼠灌胃雪灵芝溶液（不含二乙基亚硝胺）。7周后处死余下的一半雄性大鼠，进行相同操作。8周后处死余下的全部大鼠，操作及检测方法同前。结果：纳入的160只SD大鼠，145只进入结果分析，15只脱落。①病理切片检查结果：除阴性对照组，其他各组大鼠肝组织均发生癌变或癌前病变。雪灵芝高、中、低剂量组的癌前病变发生率与模型组相近（P〉0．05）；癌变的发生率均低于模型组，差异有显著性意义（P〈0．05，0．01）。②大体标本检查结果：阴性对照组大鼠肝脏的大体标本均无异常改变，其他各组大鼠的肝脏有些可见表面粗糙等病理改变。模型组大体标本病理改变的阳性率高于雪灵芝高、中、低剂量组，差异有显著性意义（P〈0．05）。肉眼观模型组癌变发生率高于其他各组。③其他脏器检查结果：模型组2只大鼠有肝癌肺转移。结论：以较大剂量的二乙基亚硝胺连续灌胃30d可以复制大鼠肝癌模型；雪灵芝对二乙基亚硝胺诱导的大鼠肝癌具有预防和抑制的作用。     

低氧暴露对运动性贫血大鼠抗氧化能力的影响

目的:观察低氧暴露对运动性贫血大鼠某些抗氧化酶的影响,探讨低氧条件下抗氧化系统的反应是否有利于改善运动性贫血。方法:实验于2005-07/09在广东省高等学校运动生物化学教学重点实验室完成。选择6周龄健康雄性SD大鼠40只,均为运动性贫血动物模型,大鼠适应环境1周后采用6周递增负荷跑台运动方式建立。按随机数字表法分为1h低氧暴露组、2h低氧暴露组和间歇性低氧暴露组、常氧恢复组,每组10只。采用人工常压低氧环境,低氧浓度控制在14.5%左右,按分组每天在常压低氧舱进行1,2h和间歇性低氧暴露(低氧暴露1h,中间间歇3h,再低氧暴露1h),其余时间在舱外常氧中自由活动,每周6d,持续3周。常氧恢复组大鼠在常氧中自由活动。3周后测试运动性贫血大鼠血清丙二醛含量、超氧化物歧化酶活性和血浆过氧化氢酶、谷胱甘肽过氧化酶活性。结果:纳入动物40只,均进入结果分析。①低氧暴露3周后1h低氧暴露组、2h低氧暴露组、间歇性低氧暴露组血清丙二醛含量均显著低于常氧恢复组[分别为(2.62±0.16),(2.60±0.22),(2.55±0.06),(3.36±0.34)μmol/L,P<0.05]。②低氧暴露3周后血清超氧化物歧化酶和血浆谷胱甘肽过氧化酶、过氧化氢酶活性均高于常氧恢复组,2h低氧暴露组与常氧恢复组比较差异有显著性意义[分别为(4239.68±169.53),(3190.30±339.40)μkat/L;(20622.46±2002.07),(15556.44±607.79)μkat/L;(50.01±6.67),(35.17±4.50)μkat/L,P<0.05]。③各低氧暴露组间除2h低氧暴露组血清超氧化物歧化酶活性显著高于1h低氧暴露组外[分别为(4239.68±169.53),(2126.41±161.20)μkat/L,P<0.05],其他指标组间差异无显著性意义(P>0.05)。结论:低氧暴露可提高运动性贫血大鼠机体的抗氧化能力,有利于促进运动性贫血的恢复。     

全层软骨缺损合并深部“微骨折”兔软骨修复情况

目的:观察在全层软骨缺损深部制造“微骨折”对兔软骨修复的影响。方法:实验于2003-04/10在同济医学院矫形外科实验室完成。实验用自制“微骨折”骨刀由管形不锈钢制作而成,分微骨刀内芯和外置套筒两部分。微骨刀近端配有可拆卸的螺帽,其远端为4枚锋利的钢钉,孔距为4mm,其连线呈正方形,孔隙深4mm,可深达松质骨内。取20只大白兔随机分2组,每组10只。用尖刀片在兔股骨内髁处切除6mm×6mm软骨组织造成全层关节软骨缺损,建立实验动物模型。实验组在缺损局部应用特制骨刀造成“微骨折”,对照组缺损局部不予特殊处理。分别在4周和8周每组各处死5只实验兔,作大体观察以及组织病理学检查。结果:①两组兔缺损修复处大体观察:在缺损处对照组只有肉芽组织和瘢痕组织生长,仅边缘有少量软骨组织生长,实验组在4周时大部分为软骨组织生长,而8周已全部被软骨组织修复。②组织病理学观察:实验组在4周时修复组织以纤维软骨为主,还有大量幼稚的透明软细胞,排列较紊乱,内混有一些纤维组织,与正常的关节软骨组织有一定的差异。而对照组修复组织均为红染的肉芽组织和纤维瘢痕组织,8周时,仅为瘢痕组织。③关节活动度的变化:术后各组动物关节活动度良好。结论:采用特制骨刀在全层软骨缺损的情况下合并“微骨折”,能使全层缺损的软骨组织得以修复。     

Doxorubicin-loaded lipid-quantum dot hybrids: surface topography and release properties

A few studies have attempted to combine the physicochemical versatility offered by the liposome structure with the superior optical characteristics of quantum dots (QD) for the construction of multifunctional nanoparticles. We are reporting the construction of drug-loaded liposome-QD hybrid vesicles (L-QD) by incorporating TOPO-capped, CdSe/ZnS QD into the two types of lipid bilayers: the ‘rigid’ disteroylphosphatidylcholine (DSPC:Chol:DSPE-PEG₂₀₀₀) and a fluid-phase bilayer of egg PC (EPC:Chol:DSPE-PEG₂₀₀₀). Structural characterization of L-QD hybrid vesicles using atomic force microscopy (AFM) revealed that the incorporation of QD took place by hydrophobic self-association within the membranes. The encapsulation of hydrophilic small molecules in the internal aqueous phase of the L-QD hybrids showed different degrees of carboxyfluorescein (CF) release in buffer and serum, depending on the type of lipid used. The presence of QD in the lipid bilayer increased the CF release from EPC fluid bilayer. On the other hand, (DSPC) L-QD hybrids showed a higher stability under the same conditions with minimal CF leakage. Furthermore, (DSPC) L-QD hybrids showed a stable mean diameter up to three weeks stored at 4 °C, 25 °C, and 40 °C, determined by photo correlation spectroscopy (PCS) analysis. Finally, doxorubicin (Dox) was loaded into L-QD hybrids using the osmotic gradient technique and with at least 97% loading efficiency. The fluorescence spectrum of Dox was simultaneously detected with that of green-emitting QD that indicated the coexistence of QD and Dox in a single vesicle system. In conclusion, the drug-loaded L-QD-Dox hybrid vesicles presented here constitute a promising multifunctional delivery vector capable of transporting combinations of therapeutic and diagnostic modalities.     

Crown-root ratio of permanent teeth in cleft lip and palate patients

Objectives:To determine root lengths of fully developed permanent teeth of cleft lip and palate (CLP) patients and to define their crown-root (C/R) ratios.Method:Crown height and root length of permanent teeth were measured from panoramic radiographs of 44 CLP patients and 37 controls. A total of 1397 teeth were measured, and C/R ratios were calculated.Results:Higher C/R ratios were found in CLP patients; this was statistically significant for both maxillary and mandibular incisors and canines. Bilateral CLP subjects showed higher C/R ratios in general than unilateral CLP subjects. Roots of maxillary incisors, canines, and some other teeth were significantly shorter in CLP patients than in controls.Conclusions:CLP patients should be considered to have unfavorable C/R ratios, which could be the result of short root lengths for some teeth.     

Head injury in child abuse: evaluation with MR imaging

To evaluate the usefulness of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in the diagnosis of head injury in child abuse, the authors compared the findings at head MR imaging and computed tomography (CT) in 19 abused children. Subdural hematomas (15 cases), cortical contusions (six cases), and shearing injuries (five cases) were demonstrated to particular advantage with MR imaging. CT remained superior in the detection of subarachnoid hemorrhage. MR imaging appears to be valuable in the assessment of patients with suspected intracranial injury due to child abuse.