New measurement device and technique for assessing implant and prosthetic motility

Implant and prosthetic motility are key aspects of good cosmesis in an anophthalmic socket. Various techniques have been attempted to improve implant and prosthesis motility. However, the attempts at comparing these techniques are incomplete without a simple, objective, reproducible method of motility measurement. We describe a novel, simple, inexpensive, custom-made slit-lamp measurement device and a new technique to measure implant and prosthetic motility objectively for documentation. To the best of our knowledge, no such device or method has been documented or described in the literature.     

The ratio of Matriptase/HAI-1 mRNA is higher in colorectal cancer adenomas and carcinomas than corresponding tissue from control individuals

Background  

It has recently been shown that overexpression of the serine protease, matriptase, in transgenic mice causes a dramatically increased frequency of carcinoma formation. Overexpression of HAI-1 and matriptase together changed the frequency of carcinoma formation to normal. This suggests that the ratio of matriptase to HAI-1 influences the malignant progression. The aim of this study has been to determine the ratio of matriptase to HAI-1 mRNA expression in affected and normal tissue from individuals with colorectal cancer adenomas and carcinomas as well as in healthy individuals, in order to determine at which stages a dysregulated ratio of matriptase/HAI-1 mRNA is present during carcinogenesis.     

黄芪皂苷抗实验性肝损伤作用

两种黄芪苷ASI和SK能对抗D-半乳糖胺,醋氨酚引起的肝损伤。表现为减轻肝毒引起的病变,SGPT降低,肝MDA下降,GSH升高;且三项指标变化呈明显相关。从离体大鼠肝细胞制备法也证明ASI和SK在0.75μmol/L～0.18 nmol/L浓度范围内,可对抗CCl₄引起的GPT升高。给小鼠连续灌服ASI 12,50 mg/kg或SK 6,20 mg/kg能提高肝微粒体细胞色素P—450活性。此结果表明,黄芪苷是黄芪抗肝毒损伤的有效成分。其机理除抗生物氧化外,尚与代谢调节作用有关。     

HUMAN RESPIRATORY MUSCLES: SENSATIONS, REFLEXES AND FATIGUABILITY

1. Given the importance of the ventilatory ‘pump’ muscles, it would not be surprising if they were endowed with both sensory and motor specializations. The present review focuses on some unexpected properties of the respiratory muscle system in human subjects. 2. Although changes in blood gas tension were long held not to influence sensation directly, studies in subjects who are completely paralysed show that increases in arterial CO₂ levels elicit strong sensations of respiratory discomfort. 3. Stretch reflexes in human limb muscles contain a monosynaptic spinal excitation and a long-latency excitation. However, inspiratory muscles show an initial inhibition when tested with brief airway occlusions during inspiration. This inhibition does not depend critically on input from pulmonary or upper airway receptors. 4. Human inspiratory muscles (including the diaphragm) have been considered to fatigue during inspiratory resistive loading. However, recent studies using phrenic nerve stimulation to test the force produced by the diaphragm show that carbon dioxide retention (hypoventilation) and voluntary cessation of loading occur before the muscles become overtly fatigued.     

Infant Flow Driver or single prong nasal continuous positive airway pressure: short-term physiological effects

The effectiveness of single prong nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) was compared with the Infant Flow Driver (IFD) in a crossover study in 20 neonates treated with ≤ 30% oxygen by nasal CPAP. They were randomized to the device used at the start of the study. Each infant was studied for four consecutive 2-h periods alternating between single prong nasal CPAP and the IFD. The FiO² from the IFD read 0.02 higher than the same setting on the ventilators used for single prong nasal CPAP. The IFD improved the mean (95% CI) of theFiO₂by 0.05 (0.02–0.08), p = 0:008. Taking into account the systematic error in the FiO² between the devices the real mean improvement in FiO₂ produced by the IFD was 0.03 (-0.005 to 0.06), p = 0:09. There were no significant differences in respiratory rate, heart rate, blood pressure or comfort score of infants during periods of single nasal prong CPAP compared with periods on the IFD.