Artificial bone of porous tricalcium phosphate ceramics and its preliminary clinical application

Summary The authors have prepared the artificial bone of porous tricalcium phosphate ceramics according to an appropriate formula and manufacturing technology. Physical and chemical testing shows that it possesses several distinguishing features: the communicating pores and macro/micropores; mean pore size, 380 μm (from 240 μm to 510 μm); porosity, 46.4 %; and compressive strength, 97.4 kg/cm². It consists of CaO (49.09 %) and P₂O₅ (48.84 %). The testing of its biocompatibility shows that it is devoid of systemic or local toxicity, and free of irritation or foreign body response in tissues, and it does not result in hemolysis or mutation. The new bone readily grows into its pores with direct contact to the implanted material. 11 cases of bone defects were treated with this artificial bone with satisfactory results.     

The subdivisions of the intermediolateral nucleus in the sacral spinal cord of the cat

The subdivisions of the sacral intermediolateral nucleus (IML) of the cat have been studied by using a double-labeling technique of retrograde Fluoro-gold (FG) and wheat germ agglutinin-conjugated horseradish peroxidase (WGA-HRP) tracing. The parasympathetic preganglionic neurons (PGNs) that were labeled by the FG injected into the pelvic nerve formed a ‘V’-shaped column known as the sacral parasympathetic nucleus (SPN) in the sacral IML. The neurons that were labeled by the WGA-HRP applied to the lateral parabrachial nucleus (PBL) formed an elongated spindle-shaped column extending throughout the IML of the sacral segments. We designated it by the name of sacral visceral sensory nucleus (SVSN). These findings indicate that the sacral IML of the cat contain two distinct subdivisions, SPN and SVSN.     

DNA flow cytometry in stage IB and II cervical carcinoma

In a retrospective study the prognostic significance of nuclear DNA content was investigated, as measured by flow cytometry, of the tumor specimens from 212 women with nonpretreated FIGO stage IB and II cervical cancer. One-hundred and thirty cases (62%) were found to be diploid, whereas 82 (38%) were aneuploid. Univariate analysis of the follow-up data showed an increased relative risk (RR) for recurrence free survival (RFS) for stage II tumors (RR = 1.87, 95% CI: 1.13–3.10, P = 0.015) and for age (RR = 1.52, 95% CI: 0.66–3.52 and RR = 2.35, 95% CI: 1.19–4.65, P = 0.032). Ploidy showed a relative risk of 1.33 (95% CI: 0.83–2.13, NS). In addition, univariate analysis of overall survival (OS) revealed similar results. For the subgroup of patients with primary surgery ( n = 151), positive pelvic nodes (RR = 5.38, 95% CI: 2.70–10.71, P = 0.0001) and parametrial extension (RR = 2.53, 95% CI: 1.24–5.17, P = 0.011) were significant factors for OS after univariate analysis, the estimated effects on RFS were slightly smaller. Multivariate analysis of RFS for the whole study population showed age, histologic grade and stage with a slightly increased risk, but no effect was significant. Ploidy with an RR of 0.97 (95% CI: 0.58–1.62) seems to have no influence on prognosis. For the subgroup with primary surgery, ploidy again failed statistical significance with an RR of 1.20 (95% CI: 0.58–2.49). Our results suggest that abnormalities of the nuclear DNA content in this homogeneous group of patients are associated with clinical and morphological prognosticators, however, ploidy is not an independent prognostic factor for RFS, or for the whole study population or for the subgroup with primary surgery.     

Effect of isoelectric point on biodistribution and inflammation imaging with indium-111-labelled IgG

Electrostatic effects play an important role in protein interactions and may alter the biodistribution of antibodies. To study the effect of molecular charge on the biodistribution and infection imaging properties of human polyclonal immunoglobulin G (IgG), its iso electric point was varied by changing the level of diethylene triamine penta-acetic acid (DTPA) substitution: 0.8, 0.9, 3.7, 5.1 and 5.9 DTPA/IgG. Biodistributions of the different IgG preparations were determined at 10 min, 1, 6, 24, and 48 h post injection in normal rats, and infection imaging properties were determined in rats withEscherichia coli thigh infections. The biodistribution was significantly affected by pl. The immunoglobulin preparations with 0.9 and 3.7 DTPA/IgG showed faster clearance from the circulation and generally lower accumulation in most organs. The images had a target-to-background ratio of approximately 1.3–2.3:1. These results suggest that even though targeting is not affected by the level of DTPA substitutions, preparations with 0.9 and 3.7 DTPA/IgG may be superior imaging agents because of reduced accumulation by background organs.     

精氨酸加压素（AVP）的衍生物AVP4—8不能作用于AVPV1a受体而诱发电流反应

在微量注射大量肝脏ｍＲＮＡ之后，通过电压箝方法进行功能鉴定，两栖类卵母细胞成功地表达了ＡＶＰＶ１ａ受体。但在灌流ＡＶ４－８溶液时，却不能诱导卵母细胞产生内向振荡电流反应。提示ＡＶＰ４－８不能通过ＡＶＰＶ１ａ受体而介导生理学效应。     

椎管内转移癌病人氨甲喋呤配伍高渗盐水硬膜外灌注治疗顽固性疼痛的临床探讨

１０例椎管内转移癌病人曾长期使用大剂量镇痛药难以奏效，而少数病例便采用硬膜外腔注射吗啡２～４ｍｇ疼痛缓解仅１ｈ。采用硬膜外腔灌注氨甲喋呤配伍高渗盐水，使抗癌药直接与肿瘤接触，几分钟内杀死癌细胞，加之高渗盐水能促使肿瘤和神经干脱水，肿瘤体积缩小和破坏，改善局部动脉缺血和组织水肿，从而减轻或消除肿瘤对神经根的压迫，缓解和消除神经痛。     

护理人员的职业损伤因素及健康维护

作者指出临床一线的护理人员是发生职业损伤的高危群体。产生职业损伤的危险因素包括基础教育和继续教育缺乏职业损伤及其防范知识；影响护理人员身体健康的诸因素，如化疗专用的溶药设备、洁净操作台或相对密闭的溶药环境不健全；乙型肝炎等医院内易感性等疾病增加，被血液、体液等污染的医疗锐器刺伤是护理人员职业感染的主要途径；护理人员工作职业特点对健康不利的影响，护理人员心理压力大。为维护护理人员身心健康，应加入医院感染、职业损伤和健康维护的在校理论教育内容，加强护理人员职业安全教育，采取防范职业损伤的措施，如化疗药物中心配药、使用一次性手套等措施。     

Hypertrophic smooth muscle in the partially obstructed opossum esophagus. Excitability and electrophysiological properties

Partial obstruction of the opossum esophagus leads to thickening of the circular muscle, hypertrophy of smooth muscle cells, and diminution of the extracellular space. The pharmacological and electrophysiological properties of this hypertrophied muscle were studied. Carbachol produced phasic and tonic contractions of the circular muscle. The EC50 for tonic contractions was greater for hypertrophied than for normal muscle (21.1 +/- 3.9 mumol/L vs. 4.8 +/- 2.2 mumol/L; P less than 0.05). The resting membrane potential difference of hypertrophied muscle (-50.8 +/- 0.2 mV) was similar to that of normal muscle (-50.0 +/- 0.2 mV). Electrical stimulation of intrinsic nerves in the normal muscle produced a hyperpolarization followed by a depolarization of smooth muscle membrane potential. Hypertrophied muscle responded either with an attenuated hyperpolarization or no hyperpolarization, both of which were followed by a depolarization. The space constant in the long axes of the hypertrophied circular muscle cells was greater than normal (4.4 +/- 0.2 mm vs. 3.4 +/- 0.1 mm; P less than 0.001). The threshold potential for initiation of action potentials was more negative for hypertrophied (-43.2 +/- 0.4 mV) than for normal circular muscle (-41.6 +/- 0.2 mV; P less than 0.005). These data indicate that alterations in neuromuscular function accompany the hypertrophy of esophageal smooth muscle.     

Entrapment of platelets in the penis during and after erection

Because of the development of hypercoagulability and the deposition of fibrin in the penis during erection a study of the possible role of platelets in this process was undertaken. Platelet response was studied in 9 adult chacma baboons (Papio ursinus) using autologous in vitro indium-111-labelled platelets and sequential scintigraphy of the penis during erection. The blood pooling pattern was obtained using in vivo technetium-99m-labelled red cells in a similar investigation. A statistically significant retention of platelets occurred during and after erection, which could not be attributed to blood pooling (P less than 0,05). Entrapment of platelets could lead to enhanced activity and activation, and might play a significant role in hypercoagulability and fibrin deposition during erection. Therefore platelets could be an important factor in the pathogenesis of ageing impotence.