Neutron- and photon-activation detection limits in breast milk analysis for prospective dose evaluation of the suckling infant

Complex situations related to the environment, as in the regions affected by the Chernobyl accident and regions in which nuclear weapons testing were undertaken, as in Semipalatinsk, could be reflected in the trace element content in mothers' milk. The evaluation of fractional transfer to milk of ingested or inhaled activity and of the corresponding dose coefficients for the infant, following a mothers' radioactive intake, can take advantage from wide-ranging studies of elemental and radionuclide contents in mothers' milk. In this work the possibility to determine elements, such as Ru, Zr, Nb, Te, Ce, Th, U, in milk powder has been investigated. Although results from elemental analyses of breast milk are to be found in the literature, the determination of the identified elements has attracted poor attention since they are not considered essential elements from a biological point of view. Nevertheless, in the case of radioactive releases to the environment, such data could be of interest in evaluation of dose to the breast-fed infant.     

Pelvic floor muscle functioning in women with vulvar vestibulitis syndrome

Vaginal sEMG biofeedback and pelvic floor physical therapists' manual techniques are being increasingly included in the treatment of vulvar vestibulitis syndrome (VVS). Successful treatment outcomes have generated hypotheses concerning the role of pelvic floor pathology in the etiology of VVS. However, no data on pelvic floor functioning in women with VVS compared to controls are available. Twenty-nine women with VVS were matched to 29 women with no pain with intercourse. Two independent, structured pelvic floor examinations were carried out by physical therapists blind to the diagnostic status of the participants. Results indicated that therapists reached almost perfect agreement in their diagnosis of pelvic floor pathology. A series of significant correlations demonstrated the reliability of assessment results across muscle palpation sites. Women with VVS demonstrated significantly more vaginal hypertonicity, lack of vaginal muscle strength, and restriction of the vaginal opening, compared to women with no pain with intercourse. Anal palpation could not confirm generalized hypertonicity of the pelvic floor. We suggest that pelvic floor pathology in women with VVS is reactive in nature and elicited with palpations that result in VVS-type pain. Treatment interventions need to recognize the critical importance of addressing the conditioned, protective muscle guarding response in women with VVS.     

Management of protozoal diarrhoea in HIV disease

Summary Since the first reported case of HIV infection in 1981, many HIV-seropositive patients have died as a result of diarrhoea induced by opportunistic protozoal infections: pathogens that would normally cause only a transient illness in immunocompetent individuals. The introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in 1996 has been associated with a significant decline in incidence and mortality arising from infections such as cryptosporidia and microsporidia. Previously, there were no chemotherapeutic agents known to be effective in eradicating these parasites, but since the availability of HAART, the memory of the emaciated terminally ill patient with advanced AIDS suffering from refractory diarrhoea will hopefully be a thing of the past. Significant advances in the knowledge of the pathogenesis of HIV disease, earlier detection and thus treatment of the virus, and availability of improved diagnostic techniques and HAART have transformed the way HIV-associated diarrhoea is managed. In this review, we look specifically at the management of protozoa-induced diarrhoea.     

Interleukin-2 therapy for advanced renal cell carcinoma: radiographic evaluation of response and complications

To evaluate the radiographic manifestations of the response of intrathoracic metastases to and the toxicity of interleukin-2 (IL-2) therapy, the chest radiographs and computed tomographic scans of 43 patients receiving 103 cycles of IL-2 treatment and lymphokine-activated killer cells for advanced renal cell carcinoma were reviewed. Among these 43 patients, 31 could be assessed for response of metastatic disease: Complete response was seen in one (3%), partial response in 11 (36%), mixed response in nine (29%), progressive disease in five (16%), and stable disease in five (16%). In 103 treatment cycles radiographic evidence of toxicity included pleural effusions (45.6%), pulmonary edema (21.4%), increased cardiothoracic ratio (16.5%), increased azygos vein diameter (9.7%), pericardial effusion (5.8%), and hilar lymphadenopathy (1.0%). These toxic effects could be distinguished from metastatic disease by a temporal relationship to treatment cycles. A favorable response to IL-2 therapy was significantly correlated (P less than .001) with the presence of pleural effusions.     

HDV/HBV感染树鼩肝组织ICE表达及肝细胞凋亡

目的 探讨HDV/HBV感染树鼩肝组织中ICE表达与HDV感染之间的关系,以及ICE在丁型肝炎肝细胞凋亡中的作用。 方法 采用免疫组化技术对45份HDV感染树鼩肝组织中HDVAg,ICE的表达进行了检测;应用原位末端标记技术对肝组织凋亡进行检测;并应用免疫组化双重染色对HDVAg,ICE的表达以及肝细胞凋亡进行了检测。 结果 肝组织45份中有43份可检出ICE(阳性率96％),有41份可检出凋亡细胞(阳性率91％),ICE在肝细胞浆和(或)膜上表达,以肝细胞浆内表达为主,HDVAg表达与ICE表达之间有显著相关性X~2=36.2(P<0.05),HDVAg表达越强,ICE表达越强,凋亡阳性细胞在肝细胞索多呈散在分布,在坏死灶中也可检出,凋亡在HDVAg阳性和阴性细胞中均可发生,以在HDVAg阳性细胞内发生为主,ICE表达与肝细胞凋亡之间有显著相关性X~2=35.6(P<0.05),ICE表达越强,凋亡阳性细胞越多。 结论 丁型肝炎病毒感染和未感染的肝细胞均可发生凋亡,但凋亡只在少数细胞内发生;HDV可诱导ICE表达,ICE在肝细胞凋亡中起重要作用。     

利用个人电脑系统及photoshop软件进行核型分析

0　引言　长期以来 ,染色体核型分析一直是显微摄影后 ,放大、减裁、分组、排列、粘贴、复拍 ,制成核型照片后进行 .该方法耗时费力而且容易出错的环节较多 .为此近来我们改用科室现有电脑设备进行染色体核型分析 ,取得了较为满易的效果 ,现将其方法报道如下 :1　材料和方法1.1　染色体制备　取 10例正常人的静脉血 2 m L注入含 0 .1m L 肝素的无菌试管中 ,立即混匀后 ,按每瓶 0 .4m L 接种到 5m L RPMI16 40培养液 (含 10 0 m L· L- 1 小牛血清 )的培养瓶中 .然后置 5 0 m L· L- 1 CO2 培养箱 37℃培养 72 h.终止培养前 4h加入最终…