Objective measurement of optical aberrations in myopic eyes.

PURPOSE: To determine whether the degree of myopia affects the optical quality of the retinal image after appropriate correction, monochromatic aberrations of the human eye were measured as a function of the degree of myopia. METHODS: Using a modified Hartmann-Shack method, a population of 27 myopic (up to -9.25 D) and 7 emmetropic optometry students (18-32 years) were objectively evaluated before and after pupil dilation. We then identified for each subject the most influential aberration types, and we calculated the profile of wavefront aberration. To study the behavior of aberration as a function of the degree of myopia, we determined the maximum value of aberration as well as the root mean square (rms) value. RESULTS: It turned out that aberration increases with the refractive error in a quasi-linear relationship for pupil diameters of 5 and 9 mm. This result is valid for both rms and maximum values. CONCLUSIONS: We objectively showed that optical quality decreases as myopia increases and as the pupil gets larger. Coma is more frequent in high myopia, and spherical aberration occurs more frequently for dilated pupils.     

Predictors of successful labor induction with oral or vaginal misoprostol

Objective: To identify independent predictors of successful labor induction with oral or vaginal misoprostol.

Methods: Women enrolled in four previous randomized trials involving oral or vaginal misoprostol for cervical ripening and labor induction were included in the present cohort study, with dosing of 25–50?μg every 4 to 6?h vaginally (n?=?574) or 50?μg every 4?h orally (n?=?207). Multiple logistic regression was performed to identify factors independently associated with successful labor induction – defined as vaginal delivery within 12?h, vaginal delivery within 24?h and spontaneous vaginal delivery. Predictors of Cesarean birth and the need for only one dose of misoprostol were also identified. Variables included in the models were maternal age, weight, height, parity, gravidity, membrane status, route of misoprostol, gestational age, birth weight, and Bishop score and its individual components.

Results: Maternal age, height, weight, parity, birth weight, dilatation, effacement and cervical station were associated with vaginal delivery within 24?h of induction. Maternal age, height, weight, nulliparity, birth weight and route of misoprostol were associated with Cesarean birth, with oral misoprostol being associated with a lower rate of Cesarean birth. The need for only one dose of misoprostol was predicted by maternal height, weight, parity, gestational age, Bishop score and route of misoprostol.

Conclusion: Characteristics of the woman (height, weight, parity), the fetus (birth weight) and some of the individual components of the Bishop score, were associated with successful labor induction, with oral misoprostol being associated with a lower rate of Cesarean birth.     

关于全基因组相关分析的研究--你首先想要什么：好消息,坏消息,或者好消息？

很久以来都认为遗传成分参与2型糖尿病（T2DM）的发病，但是有关遗传学上的发现一直进展缓慢，这是由于遗传成分的复杂性。有关糖尿病相关的各种表型的研究的大量资料提示，所谓的“T2DM”可能是许多疾病的统称，由于它们具有通常相互重叠的多种基本发病机制。因此，对曾抱有期望的T2DM的遗传学基础的寻求已经证明是很艰难的。     

Purified murine hematopoietic stem cells function longer on nonirradiated W41/Wv than on +/+ irradiated stroma

Mouse bone marrow (BM) was separated into low-density, lineage- negative, wheat germ agglutinin-positive (WGA+), Rhodamine-123 bright (Rhbright) or dim (Rhdim) cells to obtain populations that were highly enriched for committed progenitors (Rhbright cells) or for more primitive stem cells (Rhdim). When 2,500 Rhbright or Rhdim cells were seeded onto 6-week-old irradiated (20 Gy) long-term BM cultures (LTBMC), the nonadherent cell production from Rhbright cells was transient and ended after 5 weeks. Production from Rhdim cells did not begin until week 3, peaked at week 5, and ended at week 8, when the irradiated stroma seemed to fail. Termination of cell production from Rhdim cells did not occur in nonirradiated LTBMC from W41/Wv mice. During peak nonadherent cell production, 25% to 30% of the cells in the nonirradiated LTBMC from W41/Wv mice had donor cell markers. Two approaches were tested to try to enhance the proportion or number of donor cells. Addition of Origen-HGF at the time of seeding Rhdim cells caused a nonspecific increase in both host and donor cell production, but a specific increase in production of donor cells was obtained by seeding the cultures at 2 weeks rather than 6 weeks. Limiting dilution of Rhdim cells gave the same frequency of wells producing cells on both irradiated +/+ and nonirradiated W41/Wv or W/Wv cultures.     

A new combined in-vitro test model for the identification of substances affecting essential sperm functions [published erratum appears in Hum Reprod 1997 Nov;12(11):2580]

Binding of mammalian spermatozoa to the zona pellucida and the induction of the acrosome reaction are prerequisites for successful oocyte fertilization. It has been postulated that xenobiotics that are released in the environment as well as exposure to pharmaceutical medications may be associated with reproductive problems in men and wildlife. Examining physiological and non-physiological effects of particular compounds on sperm functions requires high quality in-vitro test systems. We established a reliable combined in-vitro test system with bovine gametes and evaluated if aliquots of pooled post-thaw spermatozoa are suitable for examining essential sperm functions. Using cryopreserved semen, the PSA-FITC/Hoechst 33258 staining procedure was applicable to evaluate the acrosomal status and cell viability. In the bovine hemizona assay, hemizona indices revealed no differences between cryopreserved and fresh semen. Treatment of post-thaw bovine spermatozoa with progesterone (1 microM or bovine follicular fluid (20%) induced the acrosome reaction from 12% (untreated spermatozoa) to 25% (P < 0.001) and to 22% [corrected] (P < 0.01), respectively. Incubation of both compounds (1 microM progesterone and 20% follicular fluid) raised the percentage of acrosome-reacted spermatozoa to 30% (P < 0001). Our results demonstrate that cryopreserved semen can be integrated into an in-vitro screening model for reproductive toxicology testing. Pooled, cryopreserved bovine spermatozoa will thus permit reproducible experiments for clinical and basic science purposes and may also be applicable for the human system.      

Colorectal schistosomiasis: Clinicopathologic study and management

Summary and Conclusions Forty patients with colorectal schistosomiasis who failed to respond to medical therapy were studied. They had dysentery with bloody mucus and anemia, polyps, pericolic masses, and schistosomal ulcers. Two patients had cecal masses which appeared to be intussusception and appendicitis. Three patients had chronic intestinal obstruction. Diverting transverse colostomy, followed by other surgical procedures, is the safest method of management.