Effects of adrenaline and alpha adrenergic antagonists on platelet aggregation in whole blood : Evaluation of electrical impedance aggregometry

The effects of adrenaline and alpha adrenergic antagonists on platelet aggregation in whole blood were assessed by electrical impedance. These effects were then compared to those found in platelet rich plasma assessed by both optical and impedance methods. Our data demonstrate a number of difficulties in attempting to measure platelet responsiveness by electrical impedance and re-emphasise the need for caution in interpretation of in vitro platelet aggregation studies in terms of their clinical relevance.     

Endocrine effects of ovarian electrocautery in patients with polycystic ovarian disease

Summary. The mechanism by which ovarian electrocautery induces regular ovulatory cycles was studied in 16 women with polycystic ovarian disease (PCO) and compared with 25 normal fertile women who were undergoing sterilization by tubal electrocautery. Gonadotrophins (LH and FSH), prolactin, androgens, oestrogens, 17-hydroxy-progesterone and progesterone were determined immediately before operation and 24 h later. Following the sampling of blood for these tests, 100 μg of gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH) was given intravenously and the LH and FSH responses were measured at 30 min. In the PCO-group, these tests were repeated after the first induced ovulatory cycle. After operation, LH increased only in the patients with PCO and this increase was associated with an enhanced response to GnRH, FSH showed a similar response to GnRH, also confined to the PCO-group. These pituitary responses are best explained by a change in ovarian feedback induced by the direct electrocautery of the glands in the PCO-group. There was little change in serum oestrogen. Prolactin showed an increment in all cases and serum androgens were reduced in all groups, most pronounced in the PCO patients, possibly as a result of the stress of operation. An ovarian factor—released or reduced by the electrocautery—seems to be responsible for the changes.     

Primary and secondary histiocytic lymphoma of the brain: CT features

The authors examined 19 patients with diffuse histiocytic lymphoma of the brain, including 8 with primary disease and 11 with secondary disease. Both primary disease and secondary disease involving the brainstem and deep nuclei exhibited the characteristic CT appearance, consisting of a large, solid, homogeneously enhanced mass with varying amounts of edema. However, most secondary lymphomas outside the brainstem and basal ganglia contained large areas of low attenuation consistent with necrosis. Multifocal lesions were seen only in patients with secondary lymphoma. Systemic chemotherapy for extracranial lymphoma had no effect on the CT appearance of intracranial lesions. The authors suggest that these "unusual" CT patterns are actually typical of a distinct subset of histiocytic lymphomas.     

Chronic illness perception in adolescence: Implications for the doctor-patient relationship

To describe the inter-relationship of chronic illness severity as perceived by adolescents with both psychosocial well-being and objective measures of illness severity. Additionally to compare the adolescents' perception of illness severity with how their physicians believe that the adolescents perceive their illness severity.

Methods:

The psychological well-being of 48 adolescents with either cystic fibrosis (CF) or insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) was measured by four standardized questionnaires. The adolescents' perception of severity of illness was measured using an original instrument (PSCI), and this measure was compared to their physicians' estimates of how the adolescents perceived the severity of their illness and clinical illness.

Results:

There were 24 patients in both the CF and IDDM groups. Both groups were found to function well psychosocially; although, there were more patients with low self image compared to normative values. Depression and low self image were associated with a greater adolescent perception of illness severity. For both chronic illness groups, physicians' assessment of assumed adolescent perception of disease severity correlated with clinical indices of disease severity and was higher than the perception of illness severity reported by the adolescents. For adolescents with CF, but not with IDDM, perception of severity of chronic illness correlated with clinical indices.

Conclusions:

For adolescents with chronic illness, their perception of illness severity is an important indicator of psychosocial well-being. Physicians do not accurately infer their patients' perception of illness severity.     

海南野扇花中甾体生物碱的化学研究

从黄杨科野扇花属植物海南野扇花(Sarcococca vagans Stapf)的根中分离得到6个甾体生物碱,经波谱分析及理化常数测定,确定其结构分别为帕其沙明A(pachysamine A,I),矮陀陀碱F(axilarine F,II),海南野扇花碱A～D(sarcovagine A～D,II～VI)。其中,化合物II～VI为新的甾体生物碱。     

AIDS AWARENESS IN PATIENTS ATTENDING THE MEDICAL OUTPATIENT DEPARTMENT OF A PUNE HOSPITAL

A bilingual questionnaire was administered to 400 out-patients to assess their acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) awareness. Results were analyzed and three scores, namely educational score (%ES), media score (%MS) and AIDS awareness score (%AAS) were devised to give per cent values to these parameters. Only 49 per cent of the males and 26 per cent of the females had studied beyond Class 10. As many as 103 (25.8%) subjects had never heard of AIDS. The remaining 297 patients knew a fair amount but misconceptions were very common. The %AAS was over 80 per cent in students and in civil servants, around 70 per cent in government servants and business persons and around 60 per cent in house wives. It was higher in those from urban backgrounds and in males. The education and media scores of those ignorant of AIDS were poor compared to those aware of AIDS. Risk factors for ignorance were poor educational levels, low exposure to public media and female gender. A very basic take-off level is therefore required when physicians discuss AIDS related issues with their patients.KEYWORDS: AIDS, HIV, Prevention