Neonatal airway obstruction caused by rapidly growing nasopharyngeal teratoma

A case report is presented of a rapidly growing congenital nasopharyngeal teratoma (epignathus) in a preterm infant, leading to severe upper airway obstruction. Prenatal diagnosis by ultrasonography did not reveal the condition because the tumour masses were initially small and there was no polyhydramnios. Epignathus is a rare cause of upper airway obstruction of the newborn that can grow rapidly in the neonatal period and should be treated surgically.
Conclusion:  Epignathus is a rare cause of upper airway obstruction of the newborn that can grow rapidly in the neonatal period.     

Atlanto-axial rotatory fixation: Improved demonstration using spiral CT

Atlanto-axial rotatory fixation (AARF) is an uncommon condition which is often missed at presentation because of its rarity and the relative subtlety of plain film X-ray findings, but early detection and appropriate management are vital for a cure. We describe three cases in which the use of spiral computed tomography scanning with 3D and sagittal reconstructions greatly aided diagnosis and management. The 3D images gave a more graphic picture of the overall alignment of the upper cervical spine and the skull base, while the sagittal reconstructions demonstrated the presence or absence of compensatory atlanto-occipital subluxation. The literature is briefly reviewed.     

Phenotypic variation and detection of carrier status in the partial androgen insensitivity syndrome

The partial androgen insensitivity syndrome occurs in 46,XY subjects with phenotypes ranging from perineoscrotal hypospadias with cryptorchidism and micropenis (mild undervirilisation) to clitoromegaly and partial labial fusion (marked undervirilisation). Within an affected family, wide variation in the degree of genital ambiguity between individuals can be seen. Two cousins of a previously reported subject who had severe genital ambiguity and partial androgen insensitivity were investigated. Neither of the cousins had genital abnormalities as marked as the index case, who also had qualitatively abnormal androgen binding and two mutations of the androgen receptor gene. Despite marked phenotypic differences between the index case and his cousins, similar androgen binding and the same androgen receptor mutations were shown in the cousins. Furthermore, one of the androgen receptor gene mutations has been shown in the mother and sister of one of the boys indicating that they are carriers. Thus phenotypic variation in families affected by partial androgen insensitivity is dependent on factors other than abnormalities of the androgen receptor gene alone. Although carrier status in partial androgen insensitivity can be determined, the severity of genital abnormalities in an affected offspring cannot be reliably predicted.     

大鼠实验性急性胰腺炎时血浆和组织脂质过氧化物的变化

本文观察了大鼠实验性急性胰腺炎时血浆和组织脂质过氧化物(LPO)的动态变化。发病后10h动物血浆LPO即见升高,而血浆淀粉酶水平则开始下降。发病10、20h心、肝、肾、肺组织LPO也有不同程度的升高。这证实了氧自由基在急性胰腺炎病理过程中起一定作用。与用血清淀粉酶水平判断急性胰腺炎的发生、发展这一传统方法相比,血浆LPO更能反映急性胰腺炎后期病变的程度及此时全身器官组织受损的情况。     

Monosynaptic transmission during epileptiform activity induced by penicillin in hippocampal slices in vitro

Synaptic transmission was studied in the CA1 region of transverse hippocampal slices in vitro before and after the addition of the epileptogenic agent sodium benzyl penicillin. The presynaptic fibre volley and the field potential associated with the intracellular EPSP, 'field EPSP', were recorded from the layer of the activated synapses. Addition of penicillin did not change either response. The rising phase of the intracellularly recorded EPSP did not change. However, the peak amplitude and, particularly, the duration of the EPSP both increased. The prolongation of the EPSP may be of importance for the triggering of epileptiform bursts.     

The Norse discovery of America

In the late 8th century, the stage for Viking expansion was set by commercial expansion in northwest Europe, the pressure of an increasing population in limited territorial reserves, and the development of the Viking ships. The Norsemen traveled extensively over the oceans, south to the Holy Land, and north to the White Sea and settled over a wide area from Sicily to Greenland. Historical sources, including the reports by Adam of Bremen and the Icelandic Sagas, describe several expeditions from Greenland to Vinland (somewhere along the east coast of North America) in approximately AD 1000 and later. Historians have arrived at highly different conclusions with respect to the location of Vinland (from Labrador to Georgia), but, in 1960, the Norwegian explorer Helge Ingstad localized ancient house sites on L'Ans aux Meadows, a small fishing village on the Northern beaches of Newfoundland. From 1961 to 1969, Ingstad and his wife, Anne Stine (an archaeologist), led several archaeological expeditions that revealed Viking turf houses with room for approximately 100 people. They also excavated a smithy, outdoor cooking pits, boathouses, a bathhouse, and enclosures for cattle, in addition to several Viking artifacts. The finds were C dated to AD 990 +/- 30. The present report reviews historical and archaeological evidence indicating the sites to which the Vikings traveled and attempted to settle in the new world.     

大连市乙肝疫苗查漏补种情况调查

[目的]了解大连市乙肝疫苗漏种的情况及其影响因素。[方法]2006年10月至2007年5月开展了大连市2002年7月1日至2006年9月3013出生儿童的乙肝疫苗查漏补种工作,对于在补种过程中新发现的漏种儿童,按照“随时发现,随时补种”的原则进行补种。[结果]本次“查漏补种”工作共摸底调查263727名儿童,查出漏种儿童2017人,漏种率为0．76％,应补种针次4198针次;实补种1933人,补种率为95．84％。大连市乙肝疫苗近5年平均接种率为99．9％,漏种率较低;流动儿童较本地常住儿童漏种率高（P〈0.05）,补种率低（P〈0．05）。[结论]流动儿童中仍存在免疫空白现象。     

双链断裂修复蛋白hKu70缺陷细胞株的建立及其生物学特性

目的 建立并鉴定DNA双链断裂(DSB)修复蛋白hKu70缺陷细胞株,并观察该缺陷细胞的某些生物学效应,用于AKu70基因功能及职业有害因素对DNA双链断裂修复影响的研究。方法 用构建的AKu70基因反义RNA绿色荧光蛋白真核表达载体(pEGFP—CI—K)转染人胚肺成纤维细胞(HLF),用蛋白兔疫印迹法鉴定转染细胞中AKu70基因的表达水平。同时观察转染细胞生长形态,绘制生长曲线,软琼脂培养法鉴定恶性程度。结果 pEGFP—CI—K载体在转染细胞内可较稳定表达,hKu70蛋白缺陷细胞株AKu70基因的蛋白表达水平下降了42％,转染后hKu70蛋白缺陷细胞生长形态、生长速度无明显变化,软琼脂培养未见细胞集落。结论 成功建立和鉴定了hKu70蛋白缺陷细胞株,该缺陷不足以单独引起可观察的某些生物学效应。