Screening for antibodies to HTLV-III amongst the semen donors of an AID programme

Summary. This study suggests that, at the present time, AID is not likely to be a significant risk factor in the transmission of AIDS in Britain, particularly in centres which are already practising careful screening of semen donors. New facilities which are becoming available for HTLV-III screening should help to provide reassurance that semen donations are free from the virus.     

Distal urethral electrical conductance (DUEC)—a preliminary assessment of its role as a quick screening test for incontinent women

Summary. Measurement of distal urethral electrical conductance (DUEC) has been used to detect the movement of urine along the distal urethra. DUEC was used as a screening test in 100 women attending the urodynamic clinic with incontinence and in the 33 women who voided over 250 ml, the findings correlated well with subsequent urodynamic diagnosis of urethral sphincter incompetence and detrusor instability.     

3D打印模板引导放射性125I粒子组织间植入治疗胰腺癌中国专家共识(2023年版)

放射性¹²⁵I粒子植入已用于治疗胰腺癌,但胰腺复杂的解剖结构限制了其发展。3D打印技术可通过构建高精度术前模型或术中模板而使放射性粒子植入符合个体化要求,已用于制备放射性¹²⁵I粒子组织间植入模板,提高了治疗胰腺癌效果。为进一步规范3D打印模板引导放射性¹²⁵I粒子组织间植入治疗胰腺癌,经国内多位专家讨论后制定本共识,供临床参考。     

Circulating markers of oxidative stress are raised in normal pregnancy and pre-eclampsia

Objective To determine whether circulating markers of oxidative stress are elevated in pre-eclampsia when appropriate precautions are taken to prevent in vitro oxidation
Design A prospective study.
Setting Nuffield Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Oxford and The William Harvey Institute, London.
Sample Three groups of women: those with pre-eclampsia (  n = 19  ), control pregnant (  n = 19  ) matched for gestation, age and parity and a group of non pregnant individuals reproductive age (n = 7).
Methods Citrated plasma was stored at −80°C with 20 μmol β hydroxytoluene to prevent auto-oxidation. Plasma samples were assayed for levels of 8 epi-prostaglandin F_2α, lipid hydroperoxides, malondialdehyde and also the lipid soluble antioxidant vitamin E.
Results There were no differences in 8 epi-prostaglandin F_2α lipid peroxide or malondialdehyde levels between the groups of women with pre-eclampsia and those acting as pregnant controls. However, lipid hydroperoxides and malondialdehyde were significantly raised in both pre-eclampsia and normal pregnancy, compared with nonpregnant women. Vitamin E levels were similar in women with pre-eclampsia and those with a normal pregnancy, but in both groups levels were significantly higher than in nonpregnant women.
Conclusion Circulating markers of oxidative stress are raised in normal pregnancy and pre-eclampsia.     

Elevated mid-trimester maternal corticotrophin-releasing hormone levels in pregnancies that delivered before 34 weeks

Objective To test whether maternal corticotrophin-releasing hormone levels are elevated in the mid–trimester for those women who subsequently had spontaneous preterm delivery and to assess the clinical utility of the measurement in the prediction of preterm delivery.
Design A prospective observational study.
Setting Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong.
Population 1047 low risk pregnant women recruited at 15–20 weeks of gestation.
Methods Venous samples were assayed for levels of corticotrophin-releasing hormone. The investigators responsible for the laboratory assay were blinded to the obstetric outcome.
Main outcome measures Incidence of preterm, term and post-term pregnancies.
Results Those who were delivered spontaneously at a preterm gestational age (before 34 weeks) had significantly higher corticotrophin–releasing hormone levels in the mid–trimester, compared with those who were delivered at term or post–term. There was a trend towards lower corticotrophm–releasing hormone levels with more advanced gestational age at delivery. When the measurement of corticotrophin–releasing hormone was used to predict delivery before 34 weeks, the best cut off was 1.9 MoM, which produced a sensitivity of 72.7% and specificity of 78.4%. This translated to a positive predictive value of 3.6%, negative predlctive value of 99.6% and relative risk of 9.4 when the background prevalence of spontaneous preterm delivery before 34 weeks was 1.1%. The likelihood ratio was 3.4.
Conclusions Mid-trimester maternal corticotrophin-releasing hormone levels are elevated in pregnancies destined to deliver preterm before 34 weeks. When used alone in a low risk population, the measurement has a low predictive power for preterm delivery. However, the likelihood ratio of 3.4 implies that in high risk populations the test may be considerably more valuable.     

The influence of 5,10 methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase genotypes on enzyme activity in placental tissue

Objective To study the effects of heterozygosity and homozygosity for the C677T mutation of the 5,10 methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene on the activity of this enzyme in placental tissue from pregnancies not affected by neural tube defect.
Design Placental tissue was genotyped for the C677T variants of MTHFR. Total enzyme activity and residual activity after heating to 46°C for 5 minutes was then measured.
Setting A teaching hospital.
Sample Placental samples (   n = 200  ), one from each of 200 uncomplicated term deliveries.
Main outcome measures Total and residual enzyme activity for MTHFR.
Results Placentae heterozygous for the C677T mutation of the MTHFR gene had significantly lower total enzyme activity than those without the mutation; the lowest activity occurred in homozygotes for the mutation. The same pattern was seen in relation to enzyme activity after heating.
Conclusion This study demonstrates that reduced enzyme activity is associated with the C677T variant of MTHFX in placental tissue. This is an important metabolic step in folic acid metabolism and pro-