商陆多糖Ⅰ联合白细胞介素2对小鼠脾细胞杀瘤活性的影响

商陆多糖Ⅰ(PAP-I),0.3～3μg·ml^-1和小鼠脾细胞培养3～5d可显著增强其杀伤P815肿瘤细胞活性及IL-2(250～500IU·ml^-1)诱导的LAK细胞活性,最适浓度为1μg·ml^-1。PAP-I及IL-2和脾细胞培养的上清液对P815肿瘤细胞无细胞毒作用,但能增强脾细胞及LAK细胞杀瘤活性。PAP-I,5,10及50mg·kg-1,ip可增强脾细胞杀伤P₈₁₅和L₉₂₉细胞的活性及IL-2诱导的LAK细胞活性。     

An audit of metal stent palliation for malignant biliary obstruction

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Endoscopic stent insertion is the optimum method of palliation for malignant biliary obstruction. Metal stents have several advantages over the polyethylene alternatives, but are significantly more expensive. It has been reported that patients need to survive beyond 6 months to make metal stents more cost-effective. The aim of this study was to audit the performance of expanding metal biliary stents in our endoscopy unit, and to identify factors that might help with patient selection. METHODS: The records of all patients who were selected for endoscopic metal stent insertion at the Royal Perth Hospital for malignant biliary obstruction between September 1994 and November 1998 were reviewed. RESULTS: Thirty-two patients (16 males, mean age 71 years (range 34-88 years) were identified and followed up for a mean 201 days (range 3-810 days). Fifteen (47%) had cholangiocarcinoma, 13 (41%) had pancreatic cancer, and four had metastatic disease as the cause of obstruction. Mortality rates after metal stent insertion were 16, 41 and 55% at 30, 90 and 180 days, respectively. In total, 24 (75%) patients died during the follow-up period. Eleven (34%) stents became obstructed during follow up with a median time to occlusion of 125 days (range 44-729 days). Patients with cholangiocarcinoma had significantly longer survival than pancreatic cancer cases (median 286 vs 58 days, P = 0.04). No other factors were found to correlate with the survival or stent complications. CONCLUSIONS: Less than half of this mixed cohort survived beyond 6 months. Metal stent palliation of malignant biliary obstruction should probably be targeted at those with cholangiocarcinoma, as these patients tend to survive longer.     

Platelet storage pool deficiency in pigs

We report a new bleeding disease--storage pool deficiency (SPD) of platelets--in pigs from the Mayo swine colony of homozygous von Willebrand's disease (vWD) and of heterozygous carriers of vWD. Levels of factor VIII, von Willebrand factor antigen (vWF:Ag), and ristocetin cofactor (RCof) were similar in the vWD carriers and SPD pigs. The latter pigs, however, had bleeding times of 15 minutes or more and were severe bleeders, in contrast to clinically normal vWD carriers. Platelet aggregation in response to collagen was reduced in most SPD pigs. Total platelet content of ADP, ATP, and serotonin was less than that of normal pigs. While the initial uptake of 14C-labeled serotonin into platelets was similar in SPD and normal pigs, retention of serotonin was reduced in platelets of SPD pigs. Transmission electron microscopy showed a large decrease of dense bodies in the platelets of SPD pigs. These findings support a diagnosis of SPD. Genetic analyses suggest an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance. A breeding program is under way to produce pigs affected only at the SPD gene, thus allowing further characterization of SPD and SPD-carrier pigs.     

A nationwide population-based study of migraine in Brazil

The aim of this study was to estimate the 1-year prevalence of migraine and the degree of the association of migraine with some sociodemographic characteristics of a representative sample of the adult population of Brazil. This was a cross-sectional, population-based study. Telephone interviews were conducted on 3848 people, aged 18–79 years, randomly selected from the 27 States of Brazil. The estimated 1-year gender- and age-adjusted prevalence of migraine was 15.2%. Migraine was 2.2 times more prevalent in women, 1.5 times more in subjects with > 11 years of education, 1.59 times more in subjects with income of < 5 Brazilian Minimum Wages per month, and 1.43 times more in those who do not do any physical exercise. The overall prevalence of migraine in Brazil is 15.2%. Migraine is significantly more prevalent in women, subjects with higher education, with lower income, and those who do not exercise regularly, independently of their body mass index.     

Atrial fibrillation with neonatal pulmonary lymphangiectasia

A female infant born at 28 weeks' gestation was found to have mild hydrops foetalis. Initial echocardiography showed a structurally normal heart. During the first week of life, episodic atrial tachycardia with 1:1 or 2:1 conduction was seen, requiring therapy with digoxin. The infant remained ventilator dependent, with a persistent, chylous pleural effusion which contained a preponderance of lymphocytes. Congenital pulmonary lymphangiectasia (CPL) was confirmed histologically. Worsening episodes of atrial tachycardia, including episodes of atrial fibrillation, were further investigated and a repeat echocardiogram revealed thickening of the entire right atrial wall. The cardiac findings of a thickened right atrial wall with the histological signs of myocarditis were thought to be the cause of paroxysms of atrial fibrillation, an extremely rare arrhythmia in the neonatal period. To the authors' knowledge there have been no previous reports of CPL in association with the cardiac abnormalities described herein.     

Ascorbate-2-phosphate in red cell preservation. Clinical trials and active components

A red cell additive solution (AS-005) containing ascorbate-2-phosphate (AsP) to maintain 2,3-diphosphoglycerate, plus adenine, phosphate, and mannitol to retain viability and reduce hemolysis, was evaluated by human clinical trials. A crossover design was used with another additive solution (Nutricel AS-3, Cutter Laboratories) serving as the control for each donor. Each additive solution was evaluated at 35 and 42 days of storage. There was no significant difference between the red cell viability of the two storage solutions at either time period. Split-bag, AS-005 in vitro studies at two temperatures (2.5 and 5.5 degrees C), both within the range of 1 to 6 degrees C approved by the American Association of Blood Banks and the Food and Drug Administration, resulted in dramatically different in vitro parameters, including a threefold difference in 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG), a fivefold difference in glucose, and significant differences in pH and adenosine triphosphate. High-pressure liquid chromatography data confirmed the preliminary report that 1 to 2 percent (wt/wt) oxalate was present in preparations of AsP. In vitro storage data confirmed that oxalate is the active component of AsP that preserves 2,3-DPG during storage.