Utility of commercial systems for identification of Burkholderia cepacia complex from cystic fibrosis sputum culture

Performances of several commercial test systems were reviewed to determine their relative levels of accuracy in identifying Burkholderia cepacia complex isolates recovered from cystic fibrosis sputum culture. Positive predictive values ranged from 71 to 98%; negative predictive values ranged from 50 to 82%. All systems misidentified B. cepacia complex. The species most frequently misidentified as B. cepacia was Burkholderia gladioli. These data support the results of previous studies that recommend confirmatory testing, including the use of DNA-based methods, for sputum culture isolates presumptively identified as B. cepacia.     

干部健康体检2185例心电图分析

0引言对2002/2004年在我校校直门诊部参加健康体检的干部进行心电图检查,并对心电图结果进行分析总结,以了解心血管病患病情况,为做好干部健康保健工作提供科学依据.     

Murine monoclonal antibody with anti-e-like specificity: suitability for screening for e-negative cells

A directly agglutinating murine monoclonal antibody of the IgG3 isotype has been produced after mice were immunized with papain-treated Bombay phenotype, e-positive red cells (RBCs). The antibody strongly agglutinated all e-positive RBCs and gave negative reactions with RBCs from Rhnull persons and those homozygous for Rh deletion genes. Variable reactivity was found with e-negative RBCs, ranging from weak to negative with R2R2, slightly stronger with r"r", and stronger still with RzRz. These reactions, together with results from tests with a large panel of Rh-variant RBCs, suggested a specificity for an epitope that is part of the e mosaic but is also expressed at least partially on e-negative RBCs and is influenced by the presence of C. This antibody has been standardized for use as a screening reagent for R2R2 cells by a microplate technique, and over 6000 donations have been screened in this way. No discrepancies have been found in confirmatory tests for e-negative status using human anti-e.     

Maternal Nutrition: An overview and adaptation to the hispanic client

White American, Hispanic, and African American women were surveyed in public health and low‐income clinics in Los Angeles, California, and Seattle, Washington, to determine if they delayed seeking prenatal care because of battering during their pregnancies. Nursing staff in the clinics attempted to enroll in the study all pregnant women from these groups who presented themselves for care; no other criteria were used, other than the ability to read either English or Spanish. Results were obtained from 162 White Americans, 208 Hispanics, and 132 African Americans. Although the incidence of abuse was not significantly different among the ethnic groups, battered women sought prenatal care 6.5 weeks later than the nonabused sample, with a similar delay in each ethnic group. Twenty‐one percent of the women reported physical harm during the pregnancy, and 13.7% stated that they had delayed care because of injuries.     

Diagnosing Sensory Abnormalities with Either Normal Values or Values from Contralateral Skin: Comparison of Two Approaches in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome I

Background: To diagnose sensory abnormalities, patient values can be compared with values of the general population (absolute approach) or to values measured at contralateral homologous skin (relative approach). The current study gives normal values for both approaches and compares the advantages of each method by applying the technique to patients with complex regional pain syndrome type I (CRPS I).

Methods: In 50 healthy control subjects, sensory and pain thresholds were measured for pressure, warmth, and cold on both wrists and both feet. In 53 patients with unilateral CRPS I (33 hand, 20 foot), the same assessments were conducted twice, at an interval of 1 month.

Results: In control subjects, contralateral homologous sides have approximately the same sensitivity, supporting the validity of the relative approach in patients. Hypoesthesia and allodynia can be diagnosed by either the absolute or relative approach, whereas hyperesthesia and hypoalgesia can only be identified with the relative approach. The two approaches obtain different results in 20% of cases. Age, gender, and subject criteria may influence the absolute but not the relative approach. Both approaches are comparable with regard to reproducibility. Frequency distributions of sensory abnormalities in chronic CRPS I are presented. The most frequent diagnoses were cold allodynia and mechanical hypoesthesia and allodynia.     

Tourniquet Constriction Exacerbates Hyperalgesia-related Pain Induced by Intradermal Capsaicin Injection

Background: When capsaicin is injected intradermally, hyperalgesia develops around the injection site. The authors observed that volunteers report painful sensations in the skin remote from the injection site during tourniquet constriction of the affected extremity.

Methods: Each volunteer received an intradermal injection of capsaicin on the volar forearm, followed by intermittent tourniquet constriction of the extremity. In some participants, the tourniquet position was rotated between different sites on the upper extremities. Laser Doppler measurements were made in the skin to measure capillary blood flow during pain magnification.

Results: Hyperalgesia developed in the volunteers who were tested after the capsaicin injection. Blood flow increased three times in the dermal capillaries remote from the injection site after capsaicin injection. The tourniquet-induced pain reached peak intensity soon after tourniquet inflation. Tourniquet constriction of the arm on the affected side reliably induced painful exacerbation in each person tested. The quality of the sensation was described as burning and extended across the arm in most volunteers. Only when pinprick hyperalgesia was detectable did the volunteers experience the diffuse, immediate pain sensation. The pain initiated by the tourniquet constriction likely is related to changes in skin capillary blood flow.     

健康体检者1805名腹部超声检查结果分析

1临床资料2003-08/2004-06对在门诊部参加健康体检的干部1805人,进行腹部超声检查,所用仪器为APOGEE800彩色电脑超声诊断仪,探头频率为2.5～3.5MHz,由具有丰富经验医生进行检查诊断.     

Comorbid somatic symptoms and functional status in patients with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome: sensory amplification as a common mechanism

BACKGROUND: Somatic symptoms are common in conditions such as fibromyalgia (FM) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). OBJECTIVE: Authors investigated a potential shared pathologic mechanism: a generalized perceptual abnormality where there is heightened responsiveness to varied sensory stimulation, including pain. METHOD: A composite measure of sensory sensitivity was created and compared with measures of somatic symptoms, comorbid psychological disturbances, and self-reported physical functioning in 38 patients with FM and/or CFS. RESULTS: Sensory amplification influenced physical functioning indirectly through pain intensity, and physical symptoms and fatigue also independently contributed to physical functioning. CONCLUSION: Sensory amplification may be an underlying pathophysiologic mechanism in these disorders that is relatively independent of depression and depressive symptoms.