Superficial mycoses and HIV infection in Yaounde

The incidence of superficial infections in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is increasing in Yaounde. To determine the prevalence of superficial mycoses in HIV-positive subjects, a study was carried out in different hospital settings in Yaounde over a period of 18 months. Clinical observations were followed by the culture of samples on Sabouraud's glucose agar. Of the 148 HIVab-positive patients examined, 79 (44 males and 35 females) had at least one superficial mycosis (53%). The clinical presentations and the causative organisms did not differ from those found in immunocompetent individuals. The main lesions were oral candidiasis (77%), tinea corporis (21%), tinea versicolor (15%), tinea pedis (13%) and tinea inguium (12%). Trichophyton rubrum and Candida albicans were the organisms most commonly isolated. These results indicate the benefit of studying superficial mycoses for optimal management of HIV patients.     

周期性压力下椎间盘细胞中肌动蛋白的变化及其意义

目的探讨在周期性压力下,体外培养的椎间盘细胞中的肌动蛋白的变化及其意义。方法采用10只5～6周龄、体重为25～30kg的猪的椎间盘进行体外细胞的分离和培养,对细胞施加周期性液压,通过对细胞的形态学观察及Western免疫印迹和免疫荧光实验,检测在周期性压力下椎间盘细胞中的肌动蛋白的变化。结果纤维环细胞和髓核细胞经1MPa、1Hz,持续每天3h加压,3d后髓核细胞的存活率大于90%,纤维环细胞的存活率大于85%,加压后的纤维环细胞和髓核细胞体积均缩小,由多角形转变为细长形。Western免疫印迹结果显示,肌动蛋白在纤维环细胞和髓核细胞中的表达均明显减少,以髓核细胞为著。免疫荧光结果显示,肌动蛋白由正常纤维环细胞和髓核细胞内的疏松排列转变为受压细胞内的紧密排列,髓核细胞的体积明显缩小,其中的肌动蛋白在细胞膜周围紧密排列。结论体外培养的单层椎间盘细胞在受力状态下,肌动蛋白的表达减少,细胞的体积缩小,并且肌动蛋白在细胞内重排列。这可能是激发细胞内或细胞表面信号传导的重要机制。     

Meniscal tears: MR demonstration of experimentally produced injuries

Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging was performed using a 1.5-T magnet on eight immature swine knees with surgically produced vertical and horizontal meniscal tears. Three radiologists, interpreting the images independently, detected all tears. Tears in the middle portion of the meniscus were best seen on sagittal views, while lesions of the anterior and posterior horns of the meniscus were best seen on coronal views. MR has several advantages over arthrography, the current diagnostic method for knee injuries: it is noninvasive, uses no ionizing radiation, and provides excellent soft-tissue contrast resolution.     

Body weight and ABO blood types: Are AB females heavier?

Four samples from widely separated and culturally distinct populations—U.S. college students, Mennonites, Egyptian villagers, and Brazilian migrants—are examined for evidence of a relationship between ABO blood type and body weight. Overall, the results do not support the existence of such a relationship, although they do offer further support to the possibility that females of AB blood type are consistently the heaviest phenotype. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Candida esophagitis: accuracy of radiographic diagnosis

Candida esophagitis was diagnosed radiographically in 106 patients. Endoscopy was performed in 32 of these patients, and the diagnosis was confirmed in 27. The diagnosis was missed radiographically in seven other cases proved endoscopically. Thus, Candida esophagitis was diagnosed on esophagography in 80% (27/34) of proved cases, with five false-positive examinations. Single-contrast technique was employed in nine cases with a sensitivity of 55%, and double-contrast technique was used in 25 cases with a sensitivity of 88%. With double-contrast technique, esophagography appears to be a more accurate method for diagnosing Candida esophagitis than has been suggested in the literature.