Computer graphics for digitally formatted images

The increasing use of digitally formatted imaging systems requires high-quality interactive gray-scale computer raster graphics systems for the management, display, and analog film recording of digital image and alphanumeric information. These systems are a combination of computer hardware and software and implement a set of graphics protocols. This paper describes a set of interactive graphics protocols that has been developed for clinical use.     

Interleukin-6 alters the cellular responsiveness to clopidogrel, irinotecan, and Oseltamivir by suppressing the expression of Carboxylesterases HCE1 and HCE2

Carboxylesterases constitute a class of enzymes that play important roles in the hydrolytic metabolism of drugs and other xenobiotics, patients with liver conditions such as cirrhosis show increased secretion of proinflammatory cytokines [e. g., interleukin-6 （IL- 6）] and decreased capacity of hydrolysis. In this sfudy, we provide a molecular explanation linking cytokine secretion directly to the decreased capacity of hydrolytic biotransformation. In both primary hepatocytes and HepG2 cells, treatment with IL-6 decreased the expression of human carboxylesterases HCE1 and HCE2 by as much as 60%. The decreased expression occurred at both mRNA and protein levels, and it was confirmed .by enzymatic assay. In cotransfection experiments, both HCE1 and HCE2 promoters were significantly repressed, and the repression was comparable with the decrease in HCE1 and HCE2 mRNA, suggesting that transrepression is responsible for the suppressed expression. In addition, pretreatment with IL-6 altered the cellular responsiveness in an opposite manner of overexpression of HCE1 and HCE2 toward various ester therapeutic agents （ e. g., clopidogrel）. Transfection of HCE1, for example, decreased the cytotoxicity induced by antithrombogenic agent clopidogrel, whereas pretreatment with IL-6 increased the cytotoxicity. Such a reversal was observed with other ester drugs, including anticancer agent irinotecan and anti-influenza agent oseltamivir. The altered cellular responsiveness was observed when drugs were assayed at sub-and low-micromolar concentrations, suggesting that suppressed expression of carboxylesterases by IL-6 has profound pharmacological consequences, particularly with those that are hvdrolvzed in an isoform-specific manner.     

白三烯抑制剂在哮喘治疗中的进展

目的：介绍白三烯抑制剂治疗哮喘的进展。方法：综述近年来国外有关文献,介绍和评价白三烯抑制剂的临床疗效,不良反应和用法用量。结果：白三烯抑制剂有效地治疗哮喘发作,且副作用较少。结论：白三烯抑制剂临床使用安全有效,是一类新的哮喘治疗药物。     

Obstetric and nonmalignant gynecologic bleeding: treatment with angiographic embolization

Eight patients (seven post partum, one post abortion) with massive pelvic hemorrhage related to pregnancy and one patient with uncontrollable bleeding following a cervical biopsy underwent angiography to facilitate the identification and treatment of bleeding sites. In all nine patients pelvic hemorrhage was successfully controlled with embolization under angiographic guidance. Angiographic embolization allowed preservation of the uterus in six patients referred prior to hysterectomy, and one patient subsequently became pregnant. When conservative measures and minor surgical repairs have failed, embolization should be the next step in the treatment of postpartum hemorrhage to avoid major surgery in an unstable patient and to maintain reproductive function.     

Immunoblotting characterization of neutrophil antigenic targets in autoimmune neutropenia

We characterized neutrophil autoantigens using an immunoblotting technique with antibodies obtained from patients with autoimmune neutropenia. These results were correlated with serologic characterization of the antibodies, using indirect immunofluorescence and leukoagglutination. Of the 17 sera immunoblotted, 16 showed discrete bands in the molecular weight range of 30 to 112. Three patients with Felty's syndrome reacted with an antigenic target of 80 to 84 Kd molecular mass, a finding not seen in any of the other patients studied. By serologic testing, none of the autoimmune sera showed serologic specificity for any known neutrophil-specific alloantigen. Using an anti-NA-1 serum, we identified antigenic targets at 40, 50, and 101 Kd in both NA-1-positive and NA-1-negative neutrophils. Ten of 17 autoimmune sera showed reactivity in this corresponding range. These studies demonstrate that immunoblotting may be used to identify antigenic targets in autoimmune neutropenia and may suggest a specificity of these antibodies not definable by serologic techniques. Correlation of immunoblot reactivity with disease states associated with immune neutropenia may be useful in the study of the pathogenesis of the different forms of autoimmune neutropenia.     

Treatment of normal individuals with granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor: donor experiences and the effects on peripheral blood CD34+ cell counts and on the collection of peripheral blood stem cells

BACKGROUND: Granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) has been used in patients to increase the level of circulating hematopoietic progenitors. Although G-CSF has been administered to some healthy individuals, the kinetics of mobilization of peripheral blood stem cells (PBSCs), the optimum dose schedule and the incidence and nature of adverse reactions in normal individuals are not completely defined. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Normal individuals (n = 102) who received G- CSF for 5 or 10 days at doses of 2, 5, 7.5, or 10 micrograms per kg per day were studied. The subjects were observed for symptoms and physical changes, and blood samples were obtained for a variety of laboratory tests. After 5 or 10 days of G-CSF treatment, PBSCs were collected by apheresis and analyzed. RESULTS: Overall, 89 percent of the individuals completed the 5-day treatment protocol and 88 percent completed the 10- day protocol without modification of the dose of G-CSF administered. Ninety percent of donors experienced some side effect of G-CSF. The most frequent effects noted were bone pain (83%), headache (39%), body aches (23%), fatigue (14%), and nausea and/or vomiting (12%). The dose of G-CSF administered directly affected the proportion of people with bone pain (p = 0.025) or body aches (p = 0.045) or who were feeling hot or having night sweats (p = 0.02) or taking analgesics (p = 0.01). With the 5-day dose schedule, several changes in serum chemistries occurred, including increases in alkaline phosphatase (p = 0.001), alanine aminotransferase (p = 0.0013), lactate dehydrogenase (p = 0.0001), and sodium (p = 0.0001). Decreases occurred in glucose (p = 0.045), potassium (p = 0.0004), bilirubin (p = 0.001), and blood urea nitrogen (p = 0.0017). In donors who received G-CSF for 5 days, the absolute neutrophil count was increased after one G-CSF dose, and it reached a maximum on Day 6, as did the number of CD34+ cells (64.6 +/? 55.9 × 10(6) cells/L). In those same donors, the platelet count after apheresis on Day 6 was 32 +/? 13 percent lower than pretreatment values (250 +/? 42 × 10(9) cells/L). In donors receiving G-CSF for 10 days, the neutrophil count reached a maximum on Day 8, but the number of CD34+ cells peaked on Day 6 (58.3 +/? 52.1 × 10(5) cells/L) and then declined. The platelet count decreased from pretreatment values by 28 +/? 12 percent prior to apheresis on Day 11. When individuals were treated for 5 days with G-CSF, the quantity of CD34+ cells collected was directly related to the G-CSF dose. When 5 micrograms per kg per day was given, 2.80 +/? 1.81 × 10(8) cells were collected, compared with collection of 4.67 +/? 3.11 × 10(8) cells when 10 micrograms per kg per day was given (p = 0.04). More important, PBSCs collected after 10 days of G-CSF administration (5 micrograms/kg/day) had significantly fewer CD34+ cells (0.82 +/? 0.37 × 10(8) cells, p = 0.01) than did PBSCs collected after 5 days of G-CSF (5 micrograms/kg/day). CONCLUSION: Most normal donors receiving G-CSF experience side effects, but these are mild to moderate in degree. Some alterations in blood chemistries occur, but none were clinically serious. Because of the symptoms associated with G-CSF, these individuals must be monitored closely. The treatment of normal donors with G-CSF for more than 5 days significantly decreased the number of circulating CD34+ cells and the quantity collected by apheresis.     

健胃愈疡颗粒干预下大鼠胃溃疡黏膜乳癌相关肽和血小板活化因子的表达及与胃黏膜疏水性的相关性研究

目的:观察对胃溃疡复发有较好疗效的健胃愈疡颗粒对溃疡黏膜乳腺癌相关肽和血小板活化因子表达的影响,分析其可能的作用机制。方法:实验于2005-07/2006-07在湘雅医院中心实验室完成。SD大鼠110只,雌雄各半,随机抽签法分为5组,即正常对照组、假手术组、雷尼替丁组、健胃愈疡组,各20只;模型组30只。以Okabe改良法复制大鼠实验性胃溃疡,假手术组仅以生理盐水代替乙酸注入玻管内。造模后24h,雷尼替丁组、健胃愈疡组大鼠分别灌服盐酸雷尼替丁和健胃愈疡颗粒(药物组成为:柴胡、党参、白芍、延胡索、白芨、珍珠层粉、青黛、甘草,湖南湘雅制药有限公司生产)药液10mL/kg,分别相当于2.70,1.62g/kg,1次/d。假手术组、模型组灌服蒸馏水10mL/kg。10d后各组中随机取出10只大鼠剖腹取胃(处死前大鼠禁食24h),90d时将模型组20只大鼠再分为模型复发组和模型非复发组,各10只;除正常对照组、假手术组、模型非复发组大鼠腹腔内注射生理盐水外,其余各组大鼠腹腔内注射白细胞介素1,1μg/kg;在注射48h,大鼠禁食24h后,剖腹取胃。观察其对胃溃疡大鼠胃黏膜氨基己糖及磷脂含量、溃疡指数和胃黏膜血流的影响,并用RT-PCR观察乳癌相关肽乳癌相关肽和血小板活化因子表达的变化。结果:实验动物110只,全部进入结果分析。①模型组10,92d胃黏膜血流均低于正常对照组(P<0.01);健胃愈疡组同期胃黏膜血流均高于模型组(P<0.01)。②健胃愈疡组和雷尼替丁组10d溃疡指数均低于模型组(P<0.01,P<0.05);模型复发组、健胃愈疡组和雷尼替丁组92d溃疡指数均高于模型组(P<0.01);健胃愈疡组10,92d溃疡指数及复发率均低于雷尼替丁组(P<0.05,P<0.01)。③模型组10,92d氨基己糖和磷脂含量均低于正常对照组(P<0.01)。健胃愈疡组10,92d氨基己糖和磷脂含量均高于模型组和雷尼替丁组(P<0.01)。溃疡指数与氨基已糖、磷脂含量呈负相关(r=-0.957,-0.960,P<0.01)。④健胃愈疡组和雷尼替丁组10d乳癌相关肽mRNA表达较正常组和假手术组提高,血小板活化因子mRNA的表达下调(P<0.01),健胃愈疡组两指标表达变化较雷尼替丁组显著(P<0.01);模型复发组、健胃愈疡组和雷尼替丁组92d乳癌相关肽mRNA、血小板活化因子mRNA的表达同组10d比较差异无显著性意义(P>0.05);模型组乳癌相关肽mRNA、血小板活化因子mRNA的表达同组10d比较差异有显著性意义(P<0.01)。结论:健胃愈疡颗粒可提高乳癌相关肽mRNA及下调血小板活化因子mRNA的表达,影响胃黏膜氨基己糖及磷脂含量,可能是其促进溃疡愈合的机制之一。     

Transfusion-related acute lung injury caused by an NB2 granulocyte- specific antibody in a patient with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura

HLA and granulocyte-specific antibodies have been implicated in the production of transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI). Reported here is a case that suggests that the patient's preexisting condition may play an important role in determining whether TRALI develops upon transfusion of blood products containing anti-white cell (WBC) antibodies. A 29-year-old woman with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) underwent an uneventful 1.5-volume plasma exchange, which was followed by the transfusion of 2 red cell (RBC) units. At the end of the second RBC transfusion, the patient developed clinical signs and symptoms of noncardiogenic pulmonary edema. Serologic studies demonstrated that the serum from the second RBC donor had no HLA antibodies but did have a granulocyte-specific antibody (anti-NB2) that caused the agglutination of the recipient's granulocytes, which were NB2 positive. Serum from the donor of the first RBC unit and serum from the donors of units used in the exchange had no HLA or granulocyte-specific antibodies that reacted with the recipient's WBCs. Because the donor implicated in this reaction had a history of 21 blood donations, none of which had been associated with a transfusion reaction, we suggest that the patient's preexisting condition played a significant role in this episode of TRALI, owing to the granulocyte-specific antibody.