Ruptured distal anterior choroidal artery aneurysm.

Ruptured aneurysms of the distal anterior choroidal artery (AchA) are extremely rare and management is dictated by clinical presentation. This report describes a rare patient with a distal AchA aneurysm and subarachnoid and intraventricular haemorrhage. A 60-year-old woman presented with a sudden onset of severe headache and vomiting. No aneurysms could be found on initial angiograms. A repeat angiogram performed 10 days after admission demonstrated an aneurysm in a branch of the cisternal segment of the left AchA without a definite neck. Surrounding vessels showed multifocal stricture and dilatation. Microsurgical clipping was not performed because the patient died suddenly due to pulmonary failure. The aetiology of the aneurysm in this case and surgical strategy are discussed.     

Application of a pigment measuring device – Mexameter®– for the differential diagnosis of vitiligo and nevus depigmentosus

Background/purpose: Vitiligo and nevus depigmentosus (ND) present similar hypopigmented macules with significantly different prognoses. Although the distinction between the two diseases is important, differential diagnosis relies on medical history and physical examination, which is far from decisive in some cases. The Mexameter^® is an objective skin color-measuring device, and has been reported to provide a reproducible and sensitive means of quantifying small skin color differences. In this study, we investigated the usefulness of a Mexameter^® for discriminating these diseases.
Methods: A selection of 202 hypopigmented skin lesions (182 from vitiligo and 20 from ND) were the objects of this study. Using a Mexameter, MIs were obtained from lesions and symmetrically located control skin. RMIs, ratios of the MIs of lesional skins to control skins, were calculated.
Results: The mean MIs and RMIs were significantly different for vitiligo and ND. The mean RMI of ND lesions was 74±13, which was significantly higher than that of vitiligo lesions (50±24). No ND lesion had an RMI of <50%.
Conclusion: This study shows that the Mexameter^®, an objective pigment-measuring device, can be used to achieve a more accurate diagnosis of hypopigmentary disorders, and that the relative melanin index (RMI), which represents the relative pigment levels, might be a more effective parameter than the melanin index (MI) itself for comparing pigmentation differences.     

分瓶法测定果蝇吸入麻醉药半数麻醉有效浓度

目的　建立测定果蝇吸入麻醉药半数麻醉有效浓度 (ED50 )的方法学。方法　在 11个 32 5ml的三角烧瓶中各放入 30只雄性果蝇 ,分别加入不同容量的异氟醚标准气 ,使 11个烧瓶中异氟醚浓度分布在零效应浓度与百分之百效应浓度之间。以果蝇失去附壁及运动能力为标准计算各瓶中被麻醉果蝇数 ,用正规法计算出ED50 。结果　 11次实验在 2 5及 5 0min时的量 -效关系曲线均呈S形 ,用各自的对数浓度与概率单位作图都呈直线相关 ,相关系数分别为 0 .972± 0 .0 14和 0 .971± 0 .0 2 5 ,ED50 值分别为 (0 .5 1± 0 .0 6 8) %和 (0 .4 7± 0 .0 85 ) % ,变异系数分别为 13.3%和 18.0 %。结论　本法稳定性较好 ,实用可行     

β-胡萝卜素立体异构体对环磷酰胺处理小鼠免疫功能的比较研究

就β-胡萝卜素立体异构体对环磷酰胺处理小鼠的免疫功能影响进行了比较研究。结果显示β-胡萝卜素立体异构体对外磷酰胺造成的免疫功能低下具有不同程度的改善作用，提高胸腺和脾脏指数，增强脾脏细胞对刀豆素A（ConA）的反应性和NK活性，血清溶菌酶含量也有所增加。综合各项指标，9-顺式和全反式混合物的作用最明显，提示一定浓度的9-顺式对于提高β-胡萝卜素对机体的总体作用是有一定意义的。     

Plasmid DNA encoding transforming growth factor-beta1 suppresses chronic disease in a streptococcal cell wall-induced arthritis model.

Transforming growth factor beta is a potent immunomodulator with both pro- and antiinflammatory activities. Based on its immunosuppressive actions, exogenous TGF-beta has been shown to inhibit autoimmune and chronic inflammatory diseases. To further explore the potential therapeutic role of TGF-beta, we administered a plasmid DNA encoding human TGF-beta1 intramuscularly to rats with streptococcal cell wall-induced arthritis. A single dose of 300 microg plasmid DNA encoding TGF-beta1, but not vector DNA, administered at the peak of the acute phase profoundly suppressed the subsequent evolution of chronic erosive disease typified by disabling joint swelling and deformity (articular index = 8.17+/-0. 17 vs. 1.25+/-0.76, n = 6, day 26, P < 0.01). Moreover, delivery of the TGF-beta1 DNA even as the chronic phase commenced virtually eliminated subsequent inflammation and arthritis. Both radiologic and histopathologic as well as molecular evidence supported the marked inhibitory effect of TGF-beta1 DNA on synovial pathology, with decreases in the inflammatory cell infiltration, pannus formation, cartilage and bone destruction, and the expression of proinflammatory cytokines that characterize this model. Increases in TGF-beta1 protein were detected in the circulation of TGF-beta1 DNA-treated animals, consistent with the observed therapeutic effects being TGF-beta1 dependent. These observations provide the first evidence that gene transfer of plasmid DNA encoding TGF-beta1 provides a mechanism to deliver this potent cytokine that effectively suppresses ongoing inflammatory pathology in arthritis.     

Influence of the Compliance of the Pump Housing and Cannulas of a Paracorporeal Pneumatic Ventricular Assist Device on Transient Pressure Characteristics

Abstract: The dependence of transient pressure characteristics of a ventricular assist device (VAD) on the compliance of its housing and cannulas was investigated in a mock circulation. The peak rate of change of pressure ( dP/dt _max) values was greater in the cannulas than other compartments and was associated with valve closure-induced pressure oscillations. When cannula compliance was increased from 0.0057 to 0.0129 cm³/mm Hg, these values decreased by ˜20%, and outflow cannula pressure oscillation frequency decreased from 17.5 Hz by 35%. This trend was also apparent in the inflow. A VAD housing compliance increase from 0.0162 to 0.0483 cm³/mm Hg caused a dP/dt _max decrease of 30% in both the blood chamber and the outflow cannula. The effect of this change on the inflow was weaker implying that housing absorbs the energy associated with outflow deceleration more effectively than the inflow. These findings suggest that increasing VAD housing and cannulas compliance can improve hydrodynamic performance.     

Human interleukin 4 regulates the phenotype of lymphocytes generated during mixed lymphocyte culture and inhibits the IL-2-induced development of LAK function in normal and leukaemic cells

This study examined the immunoregulatory role of recombinant interleukin 4 (IL-4), also known as B-cell stimulating factor 1, on the generation of cytotoxic effector cells from normal and leukaemic human blood mononuclear cells. When tested on cells from normal individuals, the addition of IL-4 to mixed lymphocyte cultures led to a dose-dependent proliferation of T-helper cells (CD3, 4 positive) with a concomitant decrease in phenotypic and functional cytotoxic T cells and natural killer (NK) cells. IL-4 also inhibited the interleukin-2 (IL-2)-induced generation of lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) activity when added at the beginning of mixed lymphocyte culture. When tested on mature leukaemic NK cells, IL-4 also inhibited the ability of IL-2 to induce LAK function using a short-term culture system. These results show that IL-4 acts on both normal and leukaemic cells and suggests that it acts at more than one level during the development of LAK function.     

联合菌苗抗肿瘤作用的初步探讨

目的 :探讨联合菌苗防治肿瘤的作用。方法采用动物体内实验 ,动物为封闭群KM小鼠 ,菌株为 2 6 0 0 3- 2 1、4 482 4 - 3及 932 0 1- 3,瘤种为S180 。所有实验小鼠接种S180 后 ,按随机对照试验设计分成 5组 ,即三个不同的单价菌苗组、一个联合菌苗组及一个对照组 ,同期观察联合菌苗对S180 增长的影响。结果 :三个不同的单价菌苗组及联合菌苗组的平均瘤重均比对照组低 ,联合菌苗组的平均瘤重比单价菌苗组的更低 ,差异均有高度统计学意义 (P <0 .0 1～ 0 .0 0 1) ;三个不同单价菌苗组的抑瘤率分别为 5 0 .6 %、4 8.3%、4 5 .5 % ,联合菌苗组抑瘤率为 75 .0 %。结论 :实验所选用的菌苗能抑制S180 的增长 ,联合菌苗的效果更好     

胸腰段脊柱脊髓损伤减压与固定相关问题探讨（附166例报告）

目的 对胸腰段脊柱脊髓，马尾神经损伤患者的外科治疗及几种内固定方法的疗效进行探讨。方法 对166例患者的治疗进行回顾分析。该组患者中椎体爆裂性骨折37例，椎体压缩骨折超二分之一109例，椎体骨折脱位14例，多节段或跳跃骨折6例，脊髓损伤按Frankel分级，A级59例，B级46例，C级42例，D级19例，治疗采用后路减压复位122例，前路减压复位，髂骨植骨融合44例。结果 术后123例获3-18个月随访，随访患者中随4例RF钉断裂，5例Harrington上钩脱落，6例棍断裂，其余患者内固定稳固，脊髓，马尾神经恢复，除35例仍为A级外，余脊髓神经功能恢复1-3个级别。结论 各种不同内固定可保持或增强脊柱的稳定，胸腰段脊柱脊髓损伤的外科治疗应根据骨折类型，脊髓及马尾神经损伤程度选择手术入路及内固定材料。