Psychogenic Cough in an Asthmatic Child: Case Report with Unusual Findings

A 9-year-old girl with known mild intermittent asthma presented with a persistent cough. Her cough exhibited a four-beat staccato rhythm, was nonproductive, and persisted only while awake. On physical examination, she displayed several unique findings not previously described. An extensive yet non-diagnostic medical workup coupled with absence of aggressive medical treatment for the more usual causes of cough lead to psychologic investigation and intervention with subsequent cough resolution. The appropriate use of psychologic consultation, testing, and success with supportive reinforcement therapy confirmed a psychogenic etiology. Extended medical follow-up of the patient concerning cough reoccurrence remains uneventful.     

The Trust experience: eight years on

In 1992 the author described her experience of working in a newly formed acute NHS Trust hospital. One of the key messages of the paper concerned the pace of radical changes experienced. Eight years on, the process of change has accelerated still further, and healthcare professionals working in the NHS face newer and tougher challenges with regard to funding, recognition and survival. This paper describes the author's personal view of developments so far.     

前后路短节段固定融合治疗腰椎纵向劈裂骨折

目的：评价前后路短节段固定融合治疗腰椎纵向劈裂骨折的临床效果和安全性。方法：回顾性分析中南 大学湘雅二医院脊柱外科2005年3月至2013年5月采用的前后路短节段固定融合治疗的13例腰椎纵向劈裂骨折患者临床 资料,对所有患者的矫正情况进行随访,采用疼痛视觉模拟量表(visual analogue scale,VAS)评分、Oswestry功能障碍指 数(Oswestry disability index,ODI)对腰椎功能进行评估。结果：随访时间为24~60个月,平均42个月;手术时间185~300 min,平均248 min;术中失血量为600~1 500 mL,平均950 mL。所有患者术后均获得功能及自我形象的改善,在Cobb 角评估方面,术后2 d,12个月和末次随访测量Cobb角较手术前均有明显改善,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05);VAS评 分和ODI评估术后2 d,12个月和末次随访测量结果较之术前均有改善, 差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05)。术后12个月与 末次随访的评估结果相比,差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。根据美国脊髓损伤协会(ASIA)分级标准,在末次随访时,术 前8例D级患者中6例恢复至E级,其中3例未见进一步恢复;术前2例C级中1例恢复至D级,1例恢复至E级。所有病例 骨折均获愈合,愈合时间为3~6个月,平均4.5个月;术中3例有硬膜撕裂,术中给予修补;无神经血管损伤并发症病 例。结论：短节段伤椎置钉和旋棒复位是腰椎纵向劈裂不稳定骨折较好的手术选择。     

Endogenous norepinephrine regulates blood flow to the intact rat tibia.

The goal of our study was to determine if endogenous norepinephrine (NE) has a role in the regulation of basal blood flow to intact bone. The experimental plan was to measure bone blood flow before and after pharmacological blockade of alpha-adrenergic receptors. A significant increase in blood flow after receptor blockade would suggest that endogenous norepinephrine exerts a tonic constrictor effect on the vessels supplying blood to the bone. Mature, male rats were anesthetized with Inactin. Arterial blood pressure and left tibia blood flow (laser Doppler flowmetry) were measured. A cannula was inserted into the right iliac artery and advanced to the aortic bifurcation to deliver drugs into the left hindlimb circulation, including the left tibia vasculature. Bolus injection of norepinephrine caused a dose-dependent decrease in bone blood flow (30-40%). Blockade of alpha-adrenergic receptors with phentolamine or phenoxybenzamine attenuated by more than 50% the norepinephrine-induced decrease in bone blood flow. In separate rats that had not received exogenous norepinephrine, injection of phentolamine alone decreased bone vascular resistance by 34+/-3%. Similarly, phenoxybenzamine decreased resistance by 25+/-4%. These results are consistent with the conclusion that alpha-adrenergic receptors mediate a significant constriction of blood vessels which participate in the partial control of basal blood flow to the intact rat tibia.