Infection in diabetic osteoarthropathy: use of indium-labeled leukocytes for diagnosis

Indium-111 labeled leukocyte imaging was compared with three-phase skeletal scintigraphy as a means of determining whether osteomyelitis was complicating diabetic osteoarthropathy. Three-phase scintigraphy demonstrated increased activity in both infected and noninfected osteopathic bone, with a sensitivity of 75% and a specificity of 56% for osteomyelitis. Leukocyte imaging had the same sensitivity but was most helpful for excluding infection (specificity, 89%) when three-phase imaging could not. Abnormal leukocyte localization was seen at the primary site of infection in all cases within 4 hours after injection. Disadvantages of leukocyte imaging included long preparation time, low count rates resulting in poor spatial resolution, and absence of bone landmarks, which made it difficult to differentiate soft tissue from bone infection.     

CYCLOSPORINE A IMMUNOSUPPRESSION IN SHEEP WITH RESPONSE ENHANCEMENT BY CONCOMITANT KETOCONAZOLE

1. The pharmacokinetics of a single dose of Cyclosporine A (CsA) administered to sheep by intravenous (i.v.) route were examined. 2. Concomitant administration of ketoconazole was found to increase the area under the blood CsA concentration-time curve (AUC) and was effective when adminstered by the oral or intraperitoneal route. 3. The effects of CsA and ketoconazole on the immune system of sheep were also assessed. 4. A single dose of CsA 5mg/kg resulted in abrogation of in vitro lymphocyte function manifest at 24h after injection of CsA. Normal responsiveness recovered in 48-72h. Numbers of T lymphocytes in peripheral blood were elevated transiently at 48h although no other significant alteration in lymphocyte subsets was observed with this treatment. 5. Concomitant ketoconazole administration enhanced the CsA-induced suppression of in vitro lymphocyte responses. Blood levels of CsA (AUC values to 24h) were significantly elevated with concomitant ketoconazole administration and depression of lymphocyte responses to mitogens were also significantly enhanced. An increase in the proportion of T4 positive cells in the blood was observed at 48h and at 7 days after administration of CsA with ketoconazole. 6. These findings indicate that CsA effectively abrogates immunocompetence in the sheep and this immunosuppressive effect is enhanced by concomitant administration of ketoconazole.     

抗寄生虫药物硝硫氰胺类似物的合成

本文报道52个硝硫氰胺的衍化物,经对小鼠抗日本血吸虫筛选结果表明,其中8个化合物有抗日本血吸虫作用。化合物23对家兔血吸虫病的疗效较硝硫氰胺明显为高。对其中的6个化合物经棉鼠丝虫病实验治疗,发现化合物2和26有抗丝虫病作用,化合物26对微丝蚴和成虫的杀灭作用,不亚于海群生。药理研究正在进行中。     

Pseudarthrosis following lumbar fusion: detection by direct coronal CT scanning

Twenty patients with fusions of the lumbar spine (seven with pseudarthrosis, 11 with solid bony fusions, and two with fusions that appeared solid but assessment was complicated by the presence of surgical hardware) underwent computed tomographic (CT) scanning in the supine position in the axial plane and, employing a specially designed seat, in the coronal plane. Three-millimeter contiguous sections were acquired. The direct coronal images were compared with those reformated from the axial images. The higher-resolution direct coronal images facilitated the diagnosis of pseudarthrosis and increased confidence in interpretation of normal studies. Direct coronal imaging is easy to perform and in many cases requires fewer scans and less radiation than reformations. Because it provides more useful diagnostic information, direct coronal imaging should replace current methods for evaluating fusions of the lumbar spine.