The effects of topical corticosteroids and a coal tar preparation on dithranol-induced irritation in patients with psoriasis

Dithranol has been a mainstay in the treatment of psoriasis for more than 80 years. Although a safe approach, the irritation of the clinically uninvolved perilesional skin remains a major limitation of this treatment. Corticosteroids and coal tar solution have an anti-inflammatory potential. The aim of the present study was to investigate the clinical and cell-biological effects of two topical corticosteroids and a coal tar preparation on dithranol-irritated skin. During 4 consecutive days, 2% dithranol cream was applied to six uninvolved skin sites (3 cm in diameter) on the lower back of 9 patients with psoriasis. Dithranol was left on the skin for 1 h, subsequently removed with water and soap and the skin was dried with a towel. Subsequently, SITE 1 was treated with 0.05% clobetasol-17-propionate ointment (CP), SITE 2 with unguentum cetomacrogolis (vehicle 1), SITE 3 with 0.005% fluticasonpropionate ointment (FP), SITE 4 with 10% coal tar solution in lanettewax cream (CTS), SITE 5 was left untreated (control) and SITE 6 was treated with lanettewax cream (vehicle 2). Erythema, oedema and vesicle formation was scored every day. On day 5, punch biopsies were taken from the six sites. The expression of epidermal proliferation, differentiation and inflammation markers and the clinical irritation scores indicate that the application of a high potency corticosteroid (CP) is the best approach to minimise dithranol irritation, whereas CTS had virtually no effect on dithranol irritation during this 4-day experimental model.     

NEWER CONCEPTS AND MANAGEMENT OF NEONATAL SEPSIS

Despite extensive research into its patho-physiology, investigations and treatment, sepsis remains an important cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. The incidence in developing countries is 10 times that in the developed world. A large number of pro-and anti-inflammatory cytokines (interleukins, eicosanoids, tumour necrosis factor-alpha, nitric oxide) have been identified, the interplay of which leads to the Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS) which can have devastating consequences on all systems of the body. In India the common organisms include Staphylococcus, E coli, Klebsiella and Candida. A number of maternal and neonatal risk factors have been identified. The initial signs and symptoms are subtle and can easily be missed. Early investigations and screening tests are important and a promising number of new tests are being studied. The gold standard for diagnosis is a positive culture from a body fluid or local source in the presence of SIRS. The threshold for starting antibiotics should be low in high-risk neonates and broad spectrum antibiotics covering the likely organisms should be given intravenously in all suspected cases in a hospital setting. This should be continued for at least 24-48 hours (till negative reports are available) in suspected cases and for 2-3 weeks in proven cases. Prophylaxis is aimed at preventing nosocomial and cross infections. Strict hand-washing, meticulous asepsis protocols, identification of high risk groups and prompt and better screening tests are essential in controlling this problem.KEY WORDS: Neonate, Sepsis, Systemic inflammatory response syndrome     

Digital colposcopy: ready for use? An overview of literature

The aims of this review were to summarise the various methods of digital colposcopy and to provide an overview of their efficacy. We conducted a literature search and focused on papers that described a technique for colposcopy, other than conventional colposcopy, and compared this with conventional colposcopy and/or histology and included digitalisation of the process. All papers have been classified in one of the following categories: digital imaging and telecolposcopy, spectroscopy, computerised colposcopy, optical coherence tomography and confocal microcolposcopy. Among the most promising developments is spectroscopy, allowing a more or less automated analysis and interpretation of the colposcopic image.     

肥胖与青少年多囊卵巢综合征

多囊卵巢综合征（PCOS）是育龄妇女常见生殖内分泌疾病。近年发现,随着儿童肥胖患病率增加,青少年PCOS发病率也逐年提高。肥胖可通过增加外周循环胰岛素水平影响PCOS发病机制,PCOS患者高雄激素血症也会增加内脏脂肪沉积。肥胖会增加与PCOS相关的代谢和心血管方面的并发症的患病风险,如胰岛素抵抗（IR）、高脂血症、高血压以及临床症状不明显的动脉粥样硬化等。早期识别青春期PCOS,有利于及时纠正、阻断其内分泌紊乱,防止近期及远期并发症发生。     

Parental compliance after screening social development in toddlers

OBJECTIVES: To examine the prevalence of parents' compliance with follow-up measurements after their child tested positive at a screening to assess problems in social development, as well as to find demographic, screening-related, and child-specific factors associated with parental compliance. DESIGN: Two-stage screening design. SETTING: Utrecht, the Netherlands. PARTICIPANTS: A random population of 31,724 children were screened at well-baby clinics at age 14 to 15 months (screen 1). Three hundred sixty-four children underwent screen 2 (255 children who scored positive at screen 1 [population screening] and 109 children younger than 36 months who were identified by surveillance because of suspected problems in their social development). Main Exposure A 2-stage screening was applied. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Compliance with recommendations of having either a second screening (after screen 1) or clinical evaluation (after screen 2). RESULTS: Of 370 children who tested positive at screen 1, parents of 255 children (69%) complied with screen 2. Three groups were distinguished after screen 2 (n = 173): early compliance (clinical evaluation within 6 months) (68%), late compliance (clinical evaluation after 6 months) (14%), and noncompliance (no clinical evaluation) (18%). Late compliance and noncompliance were more common in parents of younger children and children who were identified via population screening. Parents of children with either relatively high cognitive skills and/or low scores on screening measures were less inclined to comply. CONCLUSIONS: Study results suggest higher effectiveness of surveillance over population screening. Screening may well be applied as a second step after surveillance to identify children who need further clinical evaluation.     

3D DESS磁共振序列诊断神经根型颈椎病临床价值

目的：探讨3D双回波稳态进动（dual echo steady state ,DESS）磁共振序列在显示椎管内臂丛神经的形态解剖学信息的情况,以及在显示突出椎间盘与椎管内臂丛神经的关系的临床应用价值。方法对35例有颈肩痛和上肢麻痛等颈丛和臂丛神经根受压症状,临床高度怀疑神经根型颈椎病患者行颈椎M RI常规序列（矢状位 T1 WI ,T2 WI ,横轴位T2WI）和3D DESS序列,3D DESS序列的所有图像均采用3D最大信号强度投影（MIP）与曲面重组等后处理,由2位高级职称M RI影像诊断医师通过对重建后图像所显示的臂丛神经椎管内神经根的形态、长度以及突出椎间盘与椎管内臂丛神经的关系的影像表现,评价3D DESS序列在神经根型颈椎病影像诊断中的临床应用价值。结果3D DESS序列重建图像和常规MRI T2WI序列图像对臂丛神经椎管内神经前根的显示率分别为94．3％（33／35）和88．6％（31／35）,对臂丛神经椎管内神经后根的显示率分别为94．3％（33／35）和80％（28／35）,3D DESS序列明显优于常规层厚 T2 WI图像,差异有显著性意义（P ＜0．05）;在臂丛神经椎管内神经前后根完整性的显示方面,两者间差异无统计学意义（P ＞0.05）。结论3D DESS序列经重建后的图像,可提供更多的椎管内臂丛神经的形态解剖学信息,能清晰显示突出椎间盘对神经根的压迫情况,为临床治疗提供明确依据。     

肠球菌医院感染特征及新型抗菌药物耐药性研究

目的探讨肠球菌属细菌分布及耐药性特征,为指导临床合理用药及控制医院感染提供依据。方法对该院2011年1月至2013年12月年临床送检标本进行细菌分离培养、鉴定和药敏试验。结果共检出肠球菌属细菌140株,屎肠球菌71株(50.7%),粪肠球菌60株(42.9%),其他肠球菌9株(6.4%),其中尿液99株(70.7%);粪肠球菌对青霉素、氨苄西林、红霉素的耐药率为15.0%、12.5%和75.0%,屎肠球菌对青霉素、氨苄西林、左氧氟沙星、环丙沙星、红霉素耐药率大于80.0%,粪肠球菌和屎肠球菌对万古霉素(5.0%、4.2%)、利奈唑胺(8.4%、1.4%)极度敏感,喹奴普丁/达福普丁对粪肠球菌耐药率(100.0%)高于屎肠球菌(26.7%),达托霉素无耐药菌株。结论肠球菌属以泌尿系统感染为主,屎肠球菌检出率略大于粪肠球菌,屎肠球菌对大多数抗菌药物耐药率高于粪肠球菌,喹奴普丁/达福普丁仅对屎肠球菌有较高敏感性,万古霉素、利奈唑胺、达托霉素对肠球菌属细菌保持极高敏感性。     

Percutaneous angioplasty in clinical management of renovascular hypertension: initial and long-term results

Between January 1980 and July 1983, percutaneous transluminal angioplasty was attempted on 137 stenotic renal arteries in 100 patients. At termination of follow-up studies (3-39 months, mean of 16 months), 70% of those treated for hypertension had benefited from the procedure. Stenosis secondary to fibromuscular dysplasia responded better than stenosis from arteriosclerosis (85% and 65% of the patients, respectively). Benefit was minimal for those with stenosis of the renal artery ostium or renal insufficiency. Determining levels of renal vein renin before angioplasty is helpful in selecting patients; following angioplasty, this has considerable significance in predicting the success of the procedure.     

Influence of an Evacuation in February 1995 in The Netherlands on the Seizure Frequency in Patients with Epilepsy: A Controlled Study

Summary: Purpose: Stress is often noted by patients to be a precipitating factor in causing seizures. No precise data are, however, available. In 1995 for 250,000 inhabitants in the Netherlands, a serious life event occurred within a period of seven days. An extreme high water level in the province of Gelderland, with the possibility of a flood, made the government decide to evacuate people and their livestock. This retrospective study investigated the influence of this forced evacuation on the seizure frequency of patients with epilepsy, compared with patients of the same age and type of epilepsy living outside the evacuation area at the time of the threatening flood. Methods: Information regarding epilepsy syndrome, seizure type, and frequency was derived from seizure diaries and medical histories of 30 evacuated patients and 30 matched control patients. Results: Of the 30 evacuees, eight showed an increase and one a decrease in seizure frequency during or shortly after the evacuation period, compared with one and zero control patients, respectively. These results proved to be statistically significant (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Our data support the hypothesis that there is a relation, albeit small, between a stressful life event and seizure frequency.