Distribution of somatostatin- and neuropeptide Y-immunoreactive nerve fibers in the porcine female reproductive system.

The localization and distribution of somatostatin and neuropeptide Y were studied in the porcine female reproductive system with the indirect immunofluorescence technique. Somatostatin-immunoreactive nerve fibers were observed in different parts of the ovary and in the muscular membrane of the uterus as well as in the mesosalphinx. Somatostatin-immunoreactive neurons were detected in the inferior mesenteric ganglion. Neuropeptide Y immunoreactivity was present in a large number of nerve fibers distributed in different regions of the uterus, oviduct and ovary. The present results suggest that the porcine female genital organs receive innervation by somatostatin- and neuropeptide Y-containing nerve fibers, but their exact functional role remains to be established.     

A case of free-living Amoebae keratitis in a non contact lens wearer

Free living amoebae keratitis is a rare but severe infection due to ubiquitous protozoa of the genus Acanthamoeba. Most cases occur in contact lens wearers. In the present paper, we report a case of Acanthamoeba keratitis secondary to a vegetal injury of the cornea in a patient who did not wear contact lens. This case emphasizes the fact that the visual outcome is dependent on early treatment and outlines the need for a rapid diagnosis of amoebic keratitis. The diagnosis is based essentially on culture of trophozo?tes and cysts of the parasite from a corneal scrape or a biopsy specimen. The treatment is long, difficult and often a failure. Successful management of amoebic keratitis infection thus requires constant dialogue between the physician and the clinical microbiologist, a quality sample and efficient laboratory tests.     

Thyroid function and ioduria in infants after cardiac surgery: comparison of patients with primary and delayed sternal closure.

OBJECTIVES: Thyroid hormone alterations after cardiac surgery may be aggravated by the use of iodine antiseptics. We evaluated thyroid function and ioduria in infants with delayed sternal closure (DSC) who are exposed to povidone-iodine for sternal wound protection and compared them with findings in infants after primary sternal closure. DESIGN: Prospective clinical study. SETTING: Pediatric cardiac intensive care unit. PATIENTS: Ninety-three infants after cardiac surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass, 60 of them with primary sternal closure and 33 of them with delayed sternal closure. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Thyroid hormones were studied in patients with primary sternal closure immediately after surgery, 5 days and 19 days after surgery, in patients with DSC immediately after surgery, immediately after sternal closure, and 2 wks after sternal closure. Ioduria was evaluated on the first, third, and fifth postoperative days after cardiac surgery with primary sternal closure and immediately after DSC. In both groups of patients, low total triiodothyronine, total thyroxine, thyroxine-binding globulin levels, high reverse triiodothyronine levels, and normal free triiodothyronine, free thyroxine, and thyroid-stimulating hormone levels were recorded immediately after surgery. Concentrations of total triiodothyronine and thyroid-stimulating hormone were lower in the patients with DSC. Five days after primary sternal closure and 2 wks after DSC, all thyroid hormone levels were normal for age. Ioduria after DSC was higher than ioduria after primary sternal closure. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with DSC compared with patients with primary sternal closure display more profound thyroid suppression in the immediate postoperative period. The use of povidone-iodine adhesive drapes with single povidone-iodine mediastinal irrigation in patients with DSC is associated with significant iodine absorption but no significant thyroid dysfunction.     

Colorectal liver metastases: Current management and future perspectives

The liver is the commonest site of metastatic disease for patients with colorectal cancer, with at least 25% developing colorectal liver metastases (CRLM) during the course of their illness. The management of CRLM has evolved into a complex field requiring input from experienced members of a multi-disciplinary team involving radiology (cross sectional, nuclear medicine and interventional), Oncology, Liver surgery, Colorectal surgery, and Histopathology. Patient management is based on assessment of sophisticated clinical, radiological and biomarker information. Despite incomplete evidence in this very heterogeneous patient group, maximising resection of CRLM using all available techniques remains a key objective and provides the best chance of long-term survival and cure. To this end, liver resection is maximised by the use of downsizing chemotherapy, optimisation of liver remnant by portal vein embolization, associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy, and combining resection with ablation, in the context of improvements in the functional assessment of the future remnant liver. Liver resection may safely be carried out laparoscopically or open, and synchronously with, or before, colorectal surgery in selected patients. For unresectable patients, treatment options including systemic chemotherapy, targeted biological agents, intra-arterial infusion or bead delivered chemotherapy, tumour ablation, stereotactic radiotherapy, and selective internal radiotherapy contribute to improve survival and may convert initially unresectable patients to operability. Currently evolving areas include biomarker characterisation of tumours, the development of novel systemic agents targeting specific oncogenic pathways, and the potential re-emergence of radical surgical options such as liver transplantation.     

多层螺旋CT评价先天性单冠状动脉畸形

目的 探讨16层螺旋CT（MSCT）冠状动脉造影诊断先天性单冠状动脉畸形的价值。资料与方法 回顾性分析4例先天性单冠状动脉患者的MSCT和常规X线冠状动脉造影（CCA）资料。对比两者在显示和诊断此病中的差异。仿真内镜技术用于评价异位开口及其与邻近正常冠状动脉开口的关系,多平面重建、曲面多平面重建、最大密度投影、容积成像等重建方法则用于评价变异冠状动脉的行径及其与邻近大血管的关系。结果 4例患者变异的冠状动脉全部为MSCT造影所显示并明确诊断。MSCT显示3例患者的左主干起源于右冠状动脉的近段,其中1例在CCA中左主干仅近段局部显影,未能明确诊断,另2例左冠状动脉虽显影,但较淡。1例右冠状动脉起源于左主干的末端,CCA则误为起源于回旋支。MSCT显示2例异常开口冠状动脉的近段狭窄,3支异常冠状动脉穿过主动脉根部和肺动脉或右室流出道的间隙,1支绕主动脉根部后方走行,而CCA均不能明确诊断。结论 MSCT显示先天性单冠状动脉明显优于CCA,凡疑及冠状动脉变异的患者,可首选非创伤性的MSCT冠状动脉造影检查。     

重组人BAFF112-285的制备及活性分析

目的 制备具有功能活性的重组人TNF家族的B细胞激活因子(B cell activating factor belonging to the TNF family,BAFF)胞外区112—285氨基酸残基段(rhBAFF112—285)，为BAFF的深人研究奠定基础。方法 提取人HL-60细胞总RNA，经RT—PCR扩增编码人BAFF胞外区112—285氨基酸残基(BAFF112—285)的cDNA，行序列测定后，构建于原核表达载体pQE—80L并转化大肠杆菌DH5α，经IPTG诱导表达rhBAFF112—285，Ni^2 —NTA层析纯化，进而经^3H—TdR掺人实验检测其免疫学活性。结果 RT—PC双扩增得到了525bp的DNA片段，序列分析与GenBank中报道的编码人BAFF112—285的cDNA序列一致，该胞外区片段在大肠杆菌中获得了高效表达，表达水平达细菌总蛋白的45．7％，经纯化后纯度可达98．4％，活性检测证实其能明显刺激外周血淋巴细胞活化。结论 利用大肠杆菌可高效表达rhBAFF112—285，所获纯化产物具有生物学活性，所获结果为进一步研究创造了条件。     

Botulinum toxin A in the hemiplegia upper limb: a double-blind trial

In a randomised, double-blind study, the effects of intramuscular injection of botulinum toxin type A (BtA) into the upper limb were compared with those of normal saline solution in 14 patients with cerebral palsy; their mean age was 9 years. Range of movement and function were assessed before injection and at 2 and 12 weeks after injection. BtA injection significantly increased maximum active elbow and thumb extension and significantly reduced tone at wrist and elbow. The hand grasp-and-release score improved, representing a modest functional change, but fine motor function, assessed by the ability to pick up coins, did not improve and in some cases deteriorated temporarily. The most notable subjective change was the cosmetic benefit of reduced involuntary elbow flexion. The tone-reducing effect of BtA was clinically detectable in comparison with the placebo and patients and parents perceived the change as beneficial. The median of changes in the treatment group was small but the range Was large, suggesting that BtA can be useful in selected patients.     

A laboratory running test: metabolic responses of sprint and endurance trained athletes.

A laboratory-based sprint running test has been devised to examine the performance characteristics and metabolic responses of an individual to 30 seconds of maximal exercise. A non-motorised treadmill was used so that the individual was able to sprint at his own chosen speed and also to vary his speed as fatigue occurred. The treadmill was instrumented so that the chosen speeds as well as the equivalent distance travelled could be monitored by micro-computer throughout the test. The test-retest reliability of the procedure was investigated with 14 recreational runners who performed the test on different days. A good correlation (r = 0.93) was found between the values obtained for peak running speeds on the two occasions. In an attempt to establish whether or not this test could be used to identify the differences in the performance characteristics of highly trained individuals, the responses to the test of eleven sprint trained and eleven endurance trained athletes were examined. The sprint trained athletes covered a greater distance (162.2 +/- 5.95 m vis 153.51 +/- 12.32 m; p less than 0.01) and had higher blood lactate concentrations (16.52 +/- 1.23 mM vis 12.98 +/- 1.77 mM; p less than 0.01) than the endurance trained athletes. Therefore this laboratory sprint running test offers an additional way of investigating human responses to brief periods of high intensity exercise.     

酸处理对光敏玻璃离子边缘封闭性的影响

研究酸蚀对光敏玻璃离子的微渗漏影响。方法：采用侵害性窝沟封闭技术处理36颗人离休磨牙，并随机分成3组，每组12颗，第Ⅰ组为对照组，用37％磷酸酸蚀后，用低粘稠度复合树脂Liquicoat封闭窝沟裂隙。第Ⅱ组处理同第Ⅰ组，用低粘稠度光敏玻璃离子PrimaFlow封闭窝沟裂隙。第Ⅲ组与第Ⅱ组不同之处，对牙釉质不进行酸蚀。每组半数牙齿进行热循环处理（5～55℃，2500周）。所有标本用0．5％亚甲基蓝着色，在立体显微镜下观察微渗漏等级。结果：微渗漏第Ⅰ组与第Ⅱ组相似（P＞0．05）。第Ⅰ、Ⅱ组较第Ⅲ组小（P＜0．001）。复合树脂经热循环处理后微渗漏有增加（P＜0．01），而光敏玻璃离子粘固粉经热循环处理后微渗漏没有增加（P＞0．05）。结论：光敏玻璃离子结合酸蚀技术能减少微渗漏。