Photic driving in migraine: correlations with clinical features

Fifty-eight migraineurs were. studied by intermediate frequency steady-state visual evoked potentials (SSVEPs) during headache-free periods. Sex, age, age of onset of migraine, duration of illness, type of migraine, side of pain, sleep .wake disorders, and frequency of migraine attacks did not correlate with any SSVEP abnormalities. On the other hand, visual responsiveness was significantly increased in subjects with family history of migraine, and in those with autonomic symptoms. Our results may indicate that a genetic predisposition to migraine underlies the observed abnormal visual response in migraineurs.     

5种解热镇痛药的胶束电动毛细管色谱分离研究

报告了5种解热镇痛药——安替比林、4-氨基安替比林、安基比林、安乃近和保泰松的胶束电动毛细管色谱分离、紫外吸收检测法。研究了pH值、有机改性剂(甲醇)和十二烷基硫酸钠(SDS)浓度对分离的影响。在40mmol·L^-1SDS—25mmol·L^-1硼砂—15%甲醇(pH10.5)电泳介质中电泳,上述5组分可达基线分离。迁移时间批内和批间的RSD值分别小于1.3%和2.1%(n=5)。分离的理论塔板数在1.83×10⁴～4.15×10⁴之间。     

The use of microarray technologies in clinical oncology

Purpose

Based on previous studies that demonstrated the safety profile and preliminary clinical activity of prostate specific antigen (PSA) targeted therapeutic vaccines, as well as recent laboratory data supporting the value of the addition of co-stimulatory molecules B7-1, ICAM-1, and LFA-3 (designated TRICOM?) to these vaccines, we conducted a Phase I study to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of a novel vaccinia and fowlpox vaccine incorporating the PSA gene sequence and TRICOM.

Methods

In this study, ten patients with androgen independent prostate cancer with or without metastatic disease were enrolled. Patients were treated with 2 × l0⁸ pfu of a recombinant vaccinia virus vaccine (PROSTVAC-V) followed by 1 × 10⁹ pfu of the booster recombinant fowlpox virus (PROSTVAC-F) both with gene sequences for PSA and TRICOM. The mean age of patients enrolled in the study was 70 (range 63 to 79). The mean PSA at baseline was 434 (range 9 – 1424).

Results

There were no deaths, and no Grade 3 or 4 adverse events. The most commonly reported adverse events, regardless of causality, were injection site reactions and fatigue. One serious adverse event (SAE) occurred that was unrelated to vaccine; this patient developed progressive disease with a new sphenoid metastasis. PSA was measured at week 4 and week 8. Four patients had stable disease (with less than 25% increase in PSA) through the week 8 study period. Anti-PSA antibodies were not induced with therapy: however, anti-vaccinia titers increased in all patients.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated that vaccination with PROSTVAC-V and PROSTVAC-F combined with TRICOM is well-tolerated and generated an immune response to vaccinia. Therefore, PROSTVAC-VF/TRICOM represents a feasible therapeutic approach for further phase II and III study in patients with prostate cancer.     

HPLC和络合-UV法测定特非那丁颗粒剂的含量

目的：用ＨＰＬＣ和电荷转移络合ＵＶ法分别测定特非那丁粒剂的含量,并对测定结果进行比较,方法：ＨＰＬＣ法,色谱柱：ＳｐｈｅｒｉｓｏｒｂＣ８（１５０＊４．６ｍｍ,５μｍ）;流动相：甲醇－０．１ｍｏｌ／Ｌ三乙胺磷酸缓冲液（８０：２０）,检测波长２３５ｎｍ。电荷转移络合ＵＶ法,利用碘与ＴＦＮ在氯仿中形成电荷转移络合物的原理,在紫外２９４ｎｍ的波长处测定ＴＦＮ的含量。结果：两法测定的线性范围和平均回收率分别     

Biotherapy for xenografted human central nervous system leukemia in mice with severe combined immunodeficiency using B43 (anti-CD19)- pokeweed antiviral protein immunotoxin

The study of central nervous system (CNS) leukemia has been hampered by the lack of a suitable animal model. We report that severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mice invariably develop rapidly progressive fatal CNS leukemia within 3 weeks after intravenous injection of NALM-6 pre-B acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cells. Colonization of the dura mater and subarachnoid space, usually of the distal spinal cord with occasional extension into the Virchow-Robin spaces of blood vessels subjacent to the meninges, followed involvement of bone marrow in the skull, vertebrae, and, occasionally, the appendicular skeleton. Occult CNS leukemia was detectable by polymerase chain reaction amplification of human DNA as early as 8 days postinoculation of leukemia cells. We used this in vivo model of human CNS leukemia to examine the therapeutic efficacy and toxicity of intrathecally administered B43 (anti-CD19)-pokeweed antiviral protein (PAP), an anti- B-lineage ALL immunotoxin directed against the pan-B-cell antigen CD19/Bp95. Intrathecal therapy with B43 (anti-CD19)-PAP immunotoxin at nontoxic dose levels significantly improved survival of SCID mice and was superior to intrathecal methotrexate therapy.     

Plasticity of the Superior and Middle Cerebellar Peduncles in Musicians Revealed by Quantitative Analysis of Volume and Number of Streamlines Based on Diffusion Tensor Tractography

This work was conducted to study the plasticity of superior (SCP) and middle (MCP) cerebellar peduncles in musicians. The cerebellum is well known to support several musically relevant motor, sensory and cognitive functions. Previous studies reported increased cerebellar volume and grey matter (GM) density in musicians. Here, we report on plasticity of white matter (WM) of the cerebellum. Our cohort included 10/10 gender and handedness-matched musicians and controls. Using diffusion tensor imaging, fibre tractography of SCP and MCP was performed. The fractional anisotropy (FA), number of streamlines and volume of streamlines of SCP/MCP were compared between groups. Automatic measurements of GM and WM volumes of the right/left cerebellar hemispheres were also compared. Musicians have significantly increased right SCP volume (p = 0.02) and number of streamlines (p = 0.001), right MCP volume (p = 0.004) and total WM volume of the right cerebellum (p = 0.003). There were no significant differences in right MCP number of streamlines, left SCP/MCP volume and number of streamlines, SCP/MCP FA values, GM volume of the right cerebellum and GM/WM volumes of the left cerebellum. We propose that increased volume and number of streamlines of the right cerebellar peduncles represent use-dependent structural adaptation to increased sensorimotor and cognitive functional demands on the musician's cerebellum.     

Mycosis fungoides and Sézary syndrome: Current challenges in assessment,management and prognostic markers

Mycosis fungoides and Sézary syndrome are the most common variants of the cutaneous T‐cell lymphomas. Assessment of a patient with a suspected diagnosis requires thorough history taking and physical examination, in combination with skin biopsy. In some cases flow cytometry, molecular studies and imaging are also required in order to diagnose and stage the disease. Staging is derived from the tumour‐node‐metastasis‐blood classification and is currently our best attempt to stratify prognosis and hence guide management in this complex disease. Many other clinical, biological and pathological factors may help to distinguish groups at risk and predict prognosis more accurately. Management remains heavily guided by staging, such that patients with early‐stage disease generally begin treatment with skin‐directed or local therapies and those with advanced‐stage disease have many treatment options, including chemotherapy, the use of biological agents, local and total body radiotherapy, as well as haematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Besides staging, many other patient‐related factors influence the treatment strategy, particularly where symptom relief is paramount. There are many challenges remaining in the study of Mycosis fungoides and Sézary syndrome and, given the rarity of the disease, concerted worldwide efforts are required to conduct efficient and effective research.