Linkage studies of Myotonia congenita and Paramyotonia congenita

Six German families segregating for Myotonia congenita (MC) and eight families from Germany and Great Britain with Paramyotonia congenita (PC) were tested for linkage relationships using 35 serological and biochemical markers. No linkage of MC to any of the markers was evident, but a positive sum of lod scores for PC vs. the HP locus (z = 1.16, theta = 0.16) was found. The results encourage further investigations involving chromosome 16 markers.     

伊贝母中伊贝碱甙C的分离和结构鉴定

自吉林栽培的伊贝母(Fritillaria pallidiflora Schrenk)中分得一种新的甾体生物碱甙,命名为伊贝碱甙C(yibeinosideC)。根据红外、质谱、氢谱、碳谱、¹H-¹HCOSY和¹H-¹³CCOSY谱确定其结构为22,26-环亚胺胆甾-6-酮-3-O-β-D-吡喃葡萄糖-(1→4)-β-D-吡喃半乳糖甙(1)。     

Acute and long-term antiarrhythmia effect of encainide in chronic atrial extrasystole

The antiarrhythmic effects of Encainide in acute intravenous and long-term oral therapy were investigated in 10 patients suffering from chronic atrial ectopic beats previously non-responsive to conventional therapy. The efficacy of Encainide was assessed by 24-hour ECG monitoring during the acute i.v. application and in 4 week intervals over a period of 4 to 6 months. Plasma concentrations of Encainide and the O-demethyl- (ODE) and 3-methoxy-O-demethyl metabolites (3-MODE) were determined after i.v. administration and during oral therapy. A significant reduction of arrhythmias by 76% was found after 1.0 mg/kg Encainide given intravenously. Atrial ectopic beats with bundle branch block QRS-morphology were reduced by more than 90% after only 0.5 mg/kg. During long-term oral therapy 6 of the 9 patients were treated successfully. Following i.v. administration Encainide-plasma concentrations rapidly decreased with a half life of approximately 75 min in the final distribution phase. During oral therapy Encainide levels were not detectable under steady state conditions 4 to 6 hours after the last dose, or they were only minimal, but the average concentrations of ODE and 3-MODE were 71.3 +/- 21.3 and 75.6 +/- 13.5 ng/ml. Encainide increased PR interval and QRS duration significantly. QT-interval changed as a result of the QRS-prolongation. Encainide was well tolerated during acute and chronic therapy. No severe side effects were seen, except in one case, in which dose reduction by 50% was necessary because of blurred vision.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Immunohistochemical investigations of estrogen receptors in normal and neoplastic squamous epithelium of the vulva

Atrophic disease of the vulvar epithelium can be treated with steroids, but carcinoma of the vulva cannot be influenced with any hormone therapy. Seventy-one vulvar specimens were tested for estrogen receptor (ER) content by means of immunohistochemistry. Slight ER staining was found in nonkeratinizing squamous epithelium in 17 of 22 cases. A weak ER reaction in the basal and parabasal layers was found in only 2 of 17 specimens of keratinizing squamous epithelium. However, no ER was found in any neoplastic tissue of the vulva or the adjacent stroma. The loss of ER in neoplastic cells could explain the clinical experience that antihormonal treatment of vulvar carcinomas produces no appreciable improvement.     

Spezielle Aspekte der Betreuung von Mehrlingsschwangerschaften

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Auswertung von 1644 konsekutiven bakteriologischen Vaginalabstrichen: Erregerspektrum und Stellenwert des Vaginalabstriches

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Evaluating outcomes of computer-based classroom testing: Student acceptance and impact on learning and exam performance

Computer-based testing (CBT) has made progress in health sciences education. In 2015, the authors led implementation of a CBT system (ExamSoft) at a dental school in the U.S. Guided by the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), the purposes of this study were to (a) examine dental students’ acceptance of ExamSoft; (b) understand factors impacting acceptance; and (c) evaluate the impact of ExamSoft on students’ learning and exam performance. Survey and focus group data revealed that ExamSoft was well accepted by students as a testing tool and acknowledged by most for its potential to support learning. Regression analyses showed that perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness of ExamSoft significantly predicted student acceptance. Prior CBT experience and computer skills did not significantly predict acceptance of ExamSoft. Students reported that ExamSoft promoted learning in the first program year, primarily through timely and rich feedback on examination performance. t-Tests yielded mixed results on whether students performed better on computerized or paper examinations. The study contributes to the literature on CBT and the application of the TAM model in health sciences education. Findings also suggest ways in which health sciences institutions can implement CBT to maximize its potential as an assessment and learning tool.