清胰汤对香猪重症急性胰腺炎并发内毒素血症的防治作用

目的 研究清胰汤对香猪重症急性胰腺炎并发内毒素血症的防治作用。方法 用16只贵州香猪,随机分为2组,生理盐水(NS)组;中药清胰汤组。推注5％牛磺脱氧胆酸钠(0.5ml/kg体重)复制SAP模型。分别于制模后1h、6h、12h、24h、48h、72h、96h同时采门静脉血和中心静脉血,检测血浆中内毒素、胃动素浓度和血清中胃泌素、IL-1β、IL-6浓度。光镜下观察胰、肠组织的病理变化。结果 清胰汤可减轻SAP猪的胰腺及胰外器官的病理性损伤,可减轻胰出血、坏死程度和肢外器官组织细胞结构破坏,显著降低各时间(除制模前、制模后1小时外)点门静脉、中心静脉血浆内毒素浓度和血清胃泌素、IL-1β、IL-6的浓度(P<0.01);增加血浆胃动素的浓度(P<0.01)。结论 清胰汤可促进胃动素的分泌,增加肠蠕动,促进肠内毒物的排泄;从而减轻内毒素血症,抑制内毒素对SAP猪全身各器官、组织的损伤。     

Evaluation of Tracheobronchial Diseases: Comparison of Different Imaging Techniques

Objective

To compare the clinical utility of the different imaging techniques used for the evaluation of tracheobronchial diseases.

Materials and Methods

Forty-one patients with tracheobronchial diseases [tuberculosis (n = 18), bronchogenic carcinoma (n = 10), congenital abnormality (n = 3), post-operative stenosis (n = 2), and others (n = 8)] underwent chest radiography and spiral CT. Two sets of scan data were obtained: one from routine thick-section axial images and the other from thin-section axial images. Multiplanar reconstruction (MPR) and shaded surface display (SSD) images were obtained from thin-section data. Applying a 5-point scale, two observers compared chest radiography, routine CT, thin-section spiral CT, MPR and SSD imaging with regard to the detection, localization, extent, and characterization of a lesion, information on its relationship with adjacent structures, and overall information.

Results

SSD images were the most informative with regard to the detection (3.95±0.31), localization (3.95±0.22) and extent of a lesion (3.85±0.42), and overall information (3.83±0.44), while thin-section spiral CT scans provided most information regarding its relationship with adjacent structures (3.56±0.50) and characterization of the lesion (3.51±0.61).

Conclusion

SSD images and thin-section spiral CT scans can provide valuable information for the evaluation of tracheobronchial disease.     

Digital chest radiography with a selenium-based flat-panel detector versus a storage phosphor system: comparison of soft-copy images

OBJECTIVE. We compared the soft-copy images produced by a digital chest radiography system that uses a flat-panel X-ray detector based on amorphous selenium with images produced by a storage phosphor radiography system for the visualization of anatomic regions of the chest. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Two chest radiologists and two residents analyzed 46 pairs of posteroanterior chest radiographs on high-resolution video monitors (2560 x 2048 x 8 bits). In each pair, one radiograph was obtained with a storage phosphor radiography system, and the other radiograph was obtained with a selenium-based flat-panel detector radiography system. Each pair of radiographs was obtained at the same exposure settings. The interpreter rated the visibility and radiographic quality of 11 different anatomic regions. Each pair of images was ranked on a five-point scale (1 = prefer image A, 3 = no preference, 5 = prefer image B) for preference of technique. Statistical significance of preference was determined using the Wilcoxon's signed rank test. RESULTS. The interpreters had a statistically significant preference for the selenium-based radiography system in six (unobscured lung, hilum, rib, minor fissure, heart border, and overall appearance) of 11 anatomic regions (p<0.001) and for the storage phosphor system in two regions (proximal airway and thoracic spine) (p<0.05). Chest radiologists strongly preferred selenium-based images in eight regions, and they did not prefer storage phosphor images in any region. CONCLUSION. The soft-copy images produced by the selenium-based radiography system were perceived as equal or superior to those produced by the storage phosphor system in most but not all anatomic regions.     

Response to pretransplant hypomethylating agents influences the outcome of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in adults with myelodysplastic syndromes

This study describes a retrospective analysis on the transplant outcome of 56 consecutive patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) according to their response to hypomethylating agents (HMA). While 2‐yr disease‐free survival (DFS) of patients who transformed to acute myeloid leukemia (n = 12) was 25%, that of the remaining patients with MDS according to response to HMA was 73.1%, 68.1%, 50.0%, and 20.8% in G‐COR (group of continuous response, n = 19), G‐NoC (group of no change, n = 15), G‐LOR (group of loss of response, n = 6), and G‐DP (group of disease progression, n = 4), respectively. When dichotomized as G‐COR/G‐NoC versus G‐LOR/G‐DP, significantly different 2‐yr DFS (71.0% vs. 33.3%; P = 0.004) and relapse (14.1% vs. 46.7%; P = 0.016) were demonstrated. On multivariate analysis, G‐LOR/G‐DP [hazard ratio (HR), 3.91; P = 0.008] and poor karyotype at transplantation (HR, 2.69; P = 0.017) were the significant predictors for poor DFS, as G‐LOR/G‐DP was for relapse (HR, 6.28; P = 0.011). DFS was significantly poor in patients with any of the two predictors in all MDS (81.5% vs. 34.9%; P = 0.001) or higher‐risk MDS (HrMDS) at the time of HMA (80.7% vs. 29.2%; P = 0.005). G‐COR showed a trend of better DFS compared with G‐NoC among HrMDS (74.6% vs. 36.5%; P = 0.090). These results implicate the significance of response to HMA on hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) outcomes and support the need for future study to verify the suggested strategy of proceeding to transplantation before LOR or DP, especially for HrMDS.     

Left ventricle volume measured by cardiac CT in an infant with a small left ventricle: a new and accurate method in determining uni- or biventricular repair

Left ventricle volume is a factor in determining the type of surgical treatment in patients with a hypoplastic left ventricle. The volume of the hypoplastic left ventricle can be measured by echocardiography and cardiac MRI. In an infant with congenital heart disease and a small left ventricle, cardiac CT was used for this measurement and biventricular repair was performed. The left ventricular end-diastolic volume index showed a gradual increase from 23.2 to 47.9 ml/m² 4 months after the biventricular repair, and the postoperative outcome was excellent. Cardiac CT provided an accurate volume of the hypoplastic left ventricle in this infant with congenital heart disease; that volume was used to determine the type of surgical repair.