Failure of the isthmus lobe to fuse in the midline

Four developmental anomalies of the thyroid gland are to be noted: a pyramidal lobe, failure of the lobes of thyroid tissue to develop, failure of the isthmus to fuse, and absence of a significant part of the lateral lobes. We encountered failure of the isthmus to fuse in the midline of the thyroid gland in a 48-year-old female cadaver. © 1995 WiIey-Liss, Inc.     

Influence of Rh phenotype on the antigen density of C, c, and D: flow cytometric study using a frozen standard red cell

BACKGROUND: Flow cytometry is increasingly being used for the comparison of antigen density. Indirect immune fluorescence is more sensitive than direct immune fluorescence and thus allows the study of red cells (RBCs) with a weak D antigen. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: In indirect immune fluorescence, when the fluorescence is standardized by the use of aliquoted frozen standard RBCs, the coefficient of variation in fluorescence intensity was less than 5 percent, which allows accurate determination of minor variations of Rh antigen density. RESULTS: For D antigen, the well-known suppressive effect of C, and the low antigen density of the weak D phenotype, was demonstrated. Use of epitope-specific monoclonal antibodies yielded similar results and allowed the identification of a D category IV heterozygote; the relative antigen density measured with a monoclonal antibody that reacted with D(IV) was twice that measured with a monoclonal antibody that did not react with D(IV). RBCs from C and c homozygotes had significantly more antigen than those from heterozygotes. There was significant variation in antigen density, depending on Rh phenotype: for example, D+ RBCs had less C antigen than D- RBCs, and Rh:1,2,-3,4,5 (CcDee) RBCs had more c antigen than Rh:1,2,3,4,5 (CcDEe) RBCs. There was no difference in D, C, and c antigen density in neonatal and adult RBCs. CONCLUSION: Flow cytometry is an excellent tool for the demonstration of minor differences in antigen density.     

Human autoantibodies reactive with synthetic autoantigens from T-cell receptor beta chain.

We used mapping with synthetic overlapping peptides in combination with molecular modeling to analyze the IgG antibodies that humans naturally produce against human T-cell receptor beta chains and to localize the recognized peptide autoantigens in the three-dimensional structure of the molecule. Healthy individuals produce low levels of antibodies against T-cell receptor peptides, and these can be increased in autoimmune diseases. We characterized the reactivities in detail because IgG molecules reactive with self peptides occur in preparations of intravenous immunoglobulin and can be isolated by immunoaffinity chromatography. Natural IgG antibodies were directed against three major peptides. One corresponds to the first complementarity-determining region of the variable region. A second corresponds to the third framework of the variable region. The third is located in the constant region and is predicted to be a loop that extends out of the beta-barrel structure. This peptide is one that would give a characteristic structural distinction between the beta-chain constant region and the constant regions of immunoglobulin light chains to which beta chains are homologous. The capacity to bind these peptides is found in small fractions of normal polyclonal IgG, which contains both kappa chains and lambda chains. The activity is antibody-like in being confined to the Fab fragment and in its capacity to discriminate among homologous synthetic peptides corresponding to distinct beta-chain variable-region genes. We propose that a recognition and regulatory process naturally occurs that parallels the immune network for the regulation of the production of antibodies.     

尼群地平片剂生物利用度的研究

为提高国产尼群地平片剂的生物利用度,采用球磨混合粉碎法工艺进行处方设计,试制出新处方片剂,与西德Bayer公司片剂进行了体外溶出、体内生物利用度的比较。体内血浆药浓用GC-MS法测定,体内数据按零级溶出、一级吸收口服单室模型,经计算机用Gauss-Newton-Damping法处理求得药动学参数。本文研制的尼群地平新处方片剂生物利用度已超过西德Bayer公司片剂。     

美托洛尔酒石酸盐胃内滞留漂浮型控释片的制备及药代动力学研究

本文根据水动力学平衡药物控释系统的设计原理制备了美托洛尔胃内滞留漂浮型控释片剂(简称M-HBS)。实验表明,本品的体外溶出符合一级动力学过程(K′r=0.1651 h^-1);贮存期为两年;人体胃内γ-闪烁照相结果表明,本品在胃内滞留时间(5～6 h)明显比普通片剂(1.0～1.5 h)长;体内动力学过程符合表观一级吸收与一级消除的单室模型;ⅳ美托洛尔体内为双室模型;体内数据经NONLIN计算机程序处理,求得各项参数:Ka=0.1944 h^-1,K=0.1867 h^-1,Vd=2.813,t_max=5.247 h,C_max=125.1 ng/ml。本品的体内外数据具有显著的相关性(P<0.01)。     

An open study comparing manual therapy with the use of cold packs in the treatment of post-traumatic headache

One year after head trauma, 23 patients with post-traumatic headache entered a prospective clinical controlled trial to find out if specific manual therapy on the neck could reduce the headache. The study was completed by 19 patients (83%). Ten patients were treated twice with manual therapy and nine patients were treated twice with cold packs on the neck. The pain index was calculated blindly. Two weeks after the last treatment the mean pain index was significantly reduced to 43% in the group treated with manual therapy compared with the pretreatment level. At follow-up five weeks later, the pain index was still lower in this group compared with the group treated with cold packs, but this difference was not statistically significant. The pain index for all 19 patients was significantly correlated to the use of analgesics as well as to the frequency of associated symptoms (number of days per week with dizziness, visual disturbances and ear symptoms). It is concluded that the type of manual therapy used in this study seems to have a specific effect in reducing post-traumatic headache. The result supports the hypothesis of a cervical mechanism causing post-traumatic headache and suggests that post-traumatic dizziness, visual disturbances and ear symptoms could be part of a cervical syndrome.     

Small airway remodeling in acute respiratory distress syndrome: a study in autopsy lung tissue

Introduction  

Airway dysfunction in patients with the Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) is evidenced by expiratory flow limitation and dynamic hyperinflation. These functional alterations have been attributed to closure/obstruction of small airways. Airway morphological changes have been reported in experimental models of acute lung injury, characterized by epithelial necrosis and denudation in distal airways. To date, however, no study has focused on the morphological airway changes in lungs from human subjects with ARDS. The aim of this study is to evaluate structural and inflammatory changes in distal airways in ARDS patients.