Simultaneous measurement of gallbladder emptying with cholescintigraphy and US during infusion of physiologic doses of cholecystokinin: a comparison

Both ultrasonography (US) and cholescintigraphy are used to study gallbladder dynamics. The present study was undertaken to determine whether the two methods provide the same or different information relating to gallbladder emptying. Emptying was simultaneously studied with both methods during infusion of graded physiologic doses of cholecystokinin (CCK) in six healthy subjects. Infusion of stepwise increasing doses of CCK, ranging from 0.03 to 0.5 Ivy dog units per kilogram of body weight per hour (IDU/kg.h), induced significant dose-related increases in plasma CCK, decreases in gallbladder volume assessed with US, and gallbladder emptying assessed with cholescintigraphy. The threshold dose for inducing significant gallbladder emptying was 0.13 IDU/kg.h, as determined with both techniques, indicating similar detection limits. There was a highly significant correlation between decreases in gallbladder volume and decreases in radioactive counts over the gallbladder region, with a tendency toward greater gallbladder responses at sonography during the early phase of gallbladder contraction and toward greater responses at cholescintigraphy during the later phase of gallbladder contraction. It is concluded that these methods can be used interchangeably for the quantitation of gallbladder emptying.     

Developing ovarian follicles inhibit the endotoxin-induced glomerular inflammatory reaction in pseudopregnant rats

PROBLEM: We tested the hypothesis that developing ovarian follicles produce factors inhibiting the endotoxin induced inflammatory response. METHOD OF STUDY: Pseudopregnant rats were treated with FSH to induced follicular development (FSH-rats). For control we used untreated pseudopregnant rats (PSP-rats) and rats in the follicular phase of the ovarian cycle (C-rats). All rats were infused with either saline or endotoxin. Three days after the infusion rats were sacrificed and kidney specimens were snapfrozen. Cryostat kidney sections were stained for the presence of monocytes, granulocytes, CD11a- and CD11b-positive cells and for ICAM-1 expression. RESULTS: The results show that induction of follicular development in pseudopregnant rats inhibited glomerular infiltration of monocytes and CD11b(+) cells, while it did not affect the other parameters, i.e. glomerular granulocyte number, CD11a(+) cells and glomerular ICAM-1 expression. CONCLUSION: Developing ovarian follicles produce factors inhibiting monocyte responses to endotoxin.     

Endotoxin-induced cytokine production of monocytes of third-trimester pregnant women compared with women in the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle

OBJECTIVE: Little is known about the function of the innate immune response during pregnancy. We therefore investigated monocyte cytokine production, as a measure of monocyte function, in pregnant women compared with nonpregnant women. STUDY DESIGN: Whole blood of women in the follicular phase (day 5-6) and of healthy pregnant women (30 weeks) was collected and stimulated with endotoxin (2 microg/mL). After incubation for 4 hours (37 degrees C, 5% carbon dioxide), red blood cells were lysed and white blood cells were permeabilized, followed by staining with anti-CD14 (fluorescein isothiocyanate labeled) and with phycoerythrin-labeled tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1beta, or interleukin-12. The cells were analyzed by flow cytometry after fixation. Results are expressed as a percentage cytokine producing cells after endotoxin stimulation. Statistical analysis was performed with the Mann-Whitney U test (P <.05). RESULTS: Compared with the percentage endotoxin-induced cytokine producing peripheral monocytes in women in the follicular phase, this percentage in pregnancy was decreased for interleukin-12 (mean 6.63 +/- 1.34 vs 3.34 +/- 0.87, P <.05) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (mean 50.20 +/- 5.80 vs 31.29 +/- 5.57, P >.05). No significant difference was seen in the production of interleukin-1beta (mean 58.22 +/- 11.09 vs 47.18 +/- 7.88, P >.05). CONCLUSION: The percentage of interleukin-12 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha producing monocytes is decreased in pregnant women compared with nonpregnant women, suggesting that pregnancy is a proinflammatory state.     

The exposure of healthy volunteers to 200 ppm 1,1,1-trichloroethane increases the concentration of proinflammatory cytokines in nasal secretions

Objectives: Irritating effects of organic solvents have usually been measured by means of questionnaires. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the sensitivity of different methods of detecting subclinical irritating effects. Methods: Twelve healthy, non-smoking students were exposed to 200 ppm and to 20 ppm 1,1,1-trichloroethane in an exposure chamber, using a crossover design. The amounts of interleukins (IL)-1β, IL-6 and IL-8 and prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) in nasal secretions were measured. Mucociliary transport time was determined with the saccharine test. Ciliary beat frequency of nasal epithelial cells was measured with video-interference contrast microscopy. Subjective symptoms were assessed by questionnaire. Results: Concentrations of ILs were significantly elevated after exposure to 200 ppm 1,1,1-trichloroethane (IL-1β 82.4 vs. 28.8 pg/ml (medians), P=0.003; IL-6 12.2 vs. 7.2 pg/ml, P=0.01; IL-8 549 vs. 424 pg/ml, P=0.007), whereas the other parameters remained unchanged. Conclusion: The interleukins measured proved to be sensitive indicators of irritating effects of 1,1,1-trichloroethane. The German threshold limit (MAK value) of 200 ppm 1,1,1-trichloroethane does not prevent the subclinical inflammation of nasal mucosa. Received: 3 March 1999 / Accepted: 14 June 1999     

双柱双pH固相萃取和毛细管气相色谱法同时快速测定血浆中酸性和碱性药物

报道了一种能同时快速测定血浆中酸性和碱性药物的固相萃取毛细管气相色谱法。在自制的并联双柱萃取装置上,两柱可在不同的pH下操作,分别提取酸性和碱性药物。通过对6类8种酸性和碱性药物的定性和定量实验表明,该法快速、灵敏。     

固相萃取GC-FID和GC-MS分析血浆中碱性药物

报道了用X-5固相萃取分离、毛细管GC-FID和GC-MS定性定量分析人血浆中34种碱性药物的方法。在优化的提取条件下,大部分药物的最低检测浓度在0.5～2.0μg·ml^-1之间,线性范围、定量精密度等满足临床中毒分析的要求。     

Validation of the PHQ-9 as a screening instrument for depression in diabetes patients in specialized outpatient clinics

Background  

For the treatment of depression in diabetes patients, it is important that depression is recognized at an early stage. A screening method for depression is the patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9). The aim of this study is to validate the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) as a screening instrument for depression in diabetes patients in outpatient clinics.