Educating nurses--the assisted conception nursing care course of the RCN Institute

The Assisted Conception Nursing Care course of the Royal College of Nursing Institute is approaching its 5 yearly review. This professionally and academically validated course was designed in collaboration with the Fertility Nurses Group to meet the needs of those in specialist practice who are taking an increasingly significant role in the care of those needing support and treatment for fertility problems. The 6 month part-time course addresses areas as diverse as physiology and pharmacology, behavioural sciences and ethical, legal and cultural issues. There is also an emphasis on research awareness and the analysis of nursing and social policy. The course draws nurses from a wide area within the UK who particularly value the opportunity to share ideas and construct ongoing networks.      

Proton magnetic resonance relaxation behavior of whole muscle with fatty inclusions

This in vitro proton study of spin lattice (T1) and spin spin (T2) relaxation of muscle with storage-fat inclusions demonstrates slow exchange and lack of cross-relaxation between fat and water. Slow exchange causes biphasic T1 relaxation, but T2 relaxation is paradoxically uniphasic due to the nearly equal T2 values for both fractions. By careful dehydration and fat extraction, the relaxation information was deconvolved into water, fat, and protein contributions. The biphasic T1 decay has a short component due to lipid and a long component due to the water-protein combination. The fat content of muscle can be measured from the relative amplitude of the two T1 components or directly from the T2 relaxation time.     

Nasofrontal duct: CT in frontal sinus trauma

Radiologic evaluation of frontal sinus fractures is instrumental in determining the need for surgery. Computed tomography (CT) is an excellent modality for evaluation of frontal sinus trauma, particularly for anterior and posterior wall fractures. However, fractures of the nasofrontal duct are more difficult to delineate, and judgments about operating for this problem are often made on less than concrete evidence of duct trauma. To evaluate the usefulness of CT in identifying nasofrontal duct trauma, a two-part study was done. First, CT was performed on cadavers to study the anatomic relationship of the nasofrontal duct to midface anatomy. Then, a retrospective study was performed in 19 patients with suspected frontal sinus fractures who underwent frontal sinus surgery. Findings at surgery were compared with preoperative evaluation with CT. Correlations were identified and criteria developed that can be used to identify patients needing surgical intervention in frontal sinus trauma. These criteria include findings of either a fracture involving the base of the frontal sinus or a fracture of the anterior ethmoid complex, or both.     

(-)棉酚和(+)棉酚对蛋白激酶C及蛋白激酶A活力影响的比较

部分纯化的大鼠肝脏蛋白激酶C和蛋白激酶A,在体外与棉酚的旋光异构体分别温育,结果(--)棉酚和(+)棉酚对蛋白激酶C活力均有剂量依赖性的抑制作用;(-)棉酚对Ⅰ型蛋白激酶A活力的抑制作用明显比(+)棉酚强,而(-)棉酚和(+)棉酚在高浓度时对Ⅱ型蛋白激酶A才显示抑制作用。结果提示棉酚在体内可能干扰细胞信息的传递过程。     

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome in childhood

Central nervous system (CNS) involvement is very frequently observed in pediatric AIDS. Clinical manifestations include encephalopathy, cognitive deficits, acquired microcephaly, neurological signs, myelopathy, and peripheral neuropathy. Neurological complications can be related to opportunistic viral infections such as encephalitis, atypical aseptic meningitis, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, and myelitis. Nonviral syndromes include: toxoplasmosis, cryptococcal meningitis, candidiasis, Mycobacterium tuberculosis meningitis, and Mycobacterium avium subacute encephalitis. Bacterial infections, tumors, cerebrovascular complications, and peripheral neuropathies are not frequently observed in pediatric AIDS. The most severe complications of HIV infection is encephalopathy resulting from HIV infection of brain tissue. Direct HIV invasion of the CNS has been demonstrated. Clinical features of HIV encephalopathy are classified into three categories: (1) normal neurological findings; (2) static encephalopathy; and (3) progressive encephalopathy. AIDS dementia complex can be differentiated from the predominance of behavioral and cognitive disabilities.     

Orientation of tendons in the magnetic field and its effect on T2 relaxation times

In vitro studies of spin-spin relaxation times of the protons or hydrogen nuclei which make up the tendon demonstrated significant dependence of T2 on orientation at physiological levels of hydration. T2 varied from approximately 250 mu sec. with the tendon aligned with the magnetic field to 22 msec. at an angle of 55 degrees or 125 degrees and 4 msec. at deviations of +/- 15 degrees from 55 degrees and 125 degrees. 55 degrees and 125 degrees are the so-called "magic angles" at which 3 cos2 theta - 1 = 0. As a result, the signal from human tendons in vivo will depend on their orientation; however, T2 is generally short enough that the signal intensity will approach 0 in MR images regardless of the orientation of the tendons, thereby preventing this phenomenon from being observed in most studies.     

人参的分析——Ⅳ.人参皂甙的高效液相色谱测定

本文报道了人参中六种主要皂甙(Rb₁,Rb₂,Rc,Rd,Re,Rg)的HPLC测定法,用氨基键合相柱,示差折光检测,流动相为甲醇中乙腈—乙二醇—醋酸铵(0.14 mol/L)(30:70:5:10.6),同时还改进了纯化方法,此法快速、重现性好,与薄层比色法比较结果基本一致。     

Hemimegalencephaly,hemihypertrophy and vascular lesions

We report on two children with hemihypertrophy and ipsilateral hemimegalencephaly. Vascular lesions in one were consistent with a diagnosis of the Klippel-Trénaunay-Weber Syndrome. MRI performed in the first days of life and at 1 month of age revealed the presence of the neuronal anomaly.     

Cranio-facial approaches for tumours involving the anterior half of the skull base

Summary Teamwork between neurosurgeons and head and neck surgeons has increased the possibility of managing tumours involving the skull base.The authors distinguish the anterior half of the skull base into a median and two lateral portions and describe the surgical approaches utilized to expose it.The authors present their clinical experience in 27 patients with extensive lesions of the anterior half of the skull base and their results.