Health hazards associated with windsurfing on polluted water.

We documented the risks associated with windsurfing on sewage polluted water. Seventy-nine windsurfers and 41 controls were studied over a nine-day period for occurrence of symptoms of gastroenteritis, otitis, conjunctivitis, and skin infection. Relative risks were 2.9 for occurrence of one or more of these symptoms and 5.5 for symptoms of gastroenteritis. Relative risk increased with the reported number of falls into the water.     

Interrelations between substrate cycles and de novo synthesis of pyrimidine deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates in 3T6 cells.

Degradation of pyrimidine deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates plays a major role in the regulation of their pool sizes in 3T6 cells. During normal growth, these cells excrete deoxyribonucleosides (mostly deoxyuridine) into the medium. When DNA strand elongation is inhibited, de novo synthesis of dCTP and dTTP continues, followed by degradation of the deoxyribonucleotides. We now demonstrate that inhibition of de novo synthesis with hydroxyurea stops degradation of deoxyribonucleotides. We now demonstrate that inhibition of de novo synthesis with hydroxyurea stops degradation of deoxyribonucleotides and leads to an influx of deoxyuridine from the medium. This effect appears to be caused by a large drop in the size of the intracellular dUMP pool. We propose that substrate cycles, involving phosphorylation of deoxyribonucleosides by kinases and dephosphorylation of deoxyribonucleoside 5'-phosphates by a nucleotidase, participate in the regulation of the size of pyrimidine deoxyribonucleoside triphosphate pools by directing the flow of deoxyribonucleosides across the cell membrane. While kinases are regulated mainly by allosteric effects, the activity of the nucleotidase appears to be regulated by substrate concentration.     

CT scan and threshold vibrometry in the diagnosis of spinocerebellar degenerations

45 patients with spinocerebellar degeneration (SCD) underwent through quantitative investigation of the ventricular and cisternal systems by CT scanning and threshold vibrometry in the limbs to find out whether these parameters could be used for distinguishing mainly spinal from cerebellar forms or from olivopontoce-rebellar atrophy. The increase in the vibration sense threshold and the mild atrophy in the posterior cranial fossa proved typical of spinal forms and the reverse for cerebellar forms. In olivopontocerebellar atrophy enlargement of the cisterns and dilatation of the ventricles always exceeded 85% of normal values.

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Sommario 45 pazienti affetti da degenerazione spinocerebellare (SCD) sono stati sottoposti ad uno studio approfondito di esplorazione quantitativa del sistema ventricolare e cisternale alla TAC e della soglia di percezione vibratoria agli arti per valutare la possibilità di distinguere con questi parametri le forme prevalentemente spinali da quelle cerebellari o delle atrofie olivopontocerebellari. L'aumento della soglia vibratoria e la modesta atrofia in fossa posteriore è risultata tipica delle forme spinali, mentre l'inverso si verifica per le forme cerebellari. Nelle atrofie olivopontocerebellari l'allargamento delle cisterne e la dilatazione dei ventricoli supera quasi sempre l'85% rispetto ai casi normali.

     

A Simple Nephelometric Method for Measuring the Progressive Motility and Collecting Motile Spermatozoa

A simple method for collection and measurement of the progressive motility of spermatozoa was developed. The procedure consists of the spectrophotometric measurement of the increase in optical absorbance produced by the upward migration of spermatozoa in a high density medium of Ficoll 400. The suspension containing migrated spermatozoa may be used as a purified population of uniformly motile and undamaged spermatozoa.     

Studies of the human oropharyngeal airspaces using magnetic resonance imaging IV--the oropharyngeal retention effect for four inhalation delivery systems.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the oropharyngeal region from 20 adult volunteers using four model inhalation devices (varying mouthpiece diameters, airflow resistances) and tidal breathing was carried out. Statistical analysis (convex hull method) selected 12 scans from 80 data sets representing the extremes of all dimensions in the population. Twelve physical mouth-throat models were made by stereolithography using the exact scan data. The aim was to produce models with varying dimensions to span the adult population, and to investigate if oropharyngeal dimensions affected throat retention for different delivery systems. In an in vitro analysis, the models were used to determine the retention effect of the oropharyngeal airspaces when drug aerosols were administered from four inhalation delivery systems: a pressurised metered dose inhaler (pMDI), two different dry powder inhalers (DPIs A and B), and a nebulizer. The aims of this work were to determine the key parameters governing mouth-throat retention and whether retention was dependent on the delivery system used. Characterizing the throat models by measuring 51 different dimensional variables enabled determination of the most influential variables for dose retention for each inhalation delivery system. Throat model retention was found to be dependent on the delivery system (pMDI approximately DPI(A) > DPI(B) > Neb.). The most influential variable was the total throat model volume. Throat models representing high, median, and low oropharyngeal filtration in healthy adults have been identified.     

无创通气不同呼吸界面对COPD患者的生理学影响

目的 探讨无创正压通气(NPPV)时不同呼吸界面对慢性阻塞性肺疾病(COPD)急性加重期并呼吸衰竭患者的生理学影响.方法 选择30例COPD急性加重期并呼吸衰竭患者.无创正压通气时患者随机先后接受不同呼吸界面(面罩、鼻罩和鼻塞).动态观察不同呼吸界面时患者呼吸方式、血气分析和对呼吸界面耐受性等的差异.结果 (1)与自主呼吸相比,无创正压通气时三种不同呼吸界面均可改善患者的潮气量、分钟通气量和呼吸频率(P＜0.01),三种不同呼吸界面时的呼吸频率相似(P＞0.05),但面罩时的潮气量和分钟通气量比鼻罩时更高(P＜0.05);(2)与自主呼吸相比,无创正压通气时三种不同呼吸界面均可改善患者的动脉血气(P＜0.05),面罩和鼻塞时的PCO2比鼻罩时更低(P＜0.05);(3)患者均可耐受三种不同的呼吸界面,但患者对鼻罩的耐受性比面罩和鼻塞更好(P＜0.01).结论 本生理学研究证实了无创正压通气可改善COPD急性加重期并呼吸衰竭患者的呼吸方式和动脉血气,面罩和鼻塞时的疗效更佳,而鼻罩时的耐受性更好.     

抑郁症患者心理治疗的临床研究

目的 通过对照的方法,对抑郁症患者使用单纯抗抑郁药物治疗和药物合并心理治疗的疗效进行比较,探讨心理治疗在抑郁症患者治疗中的作用.方法 选取抑郁症患者120例,随机分成两组.对照组60例,男女各半,年龄18～65岁,平均(38.9±2.53)岁;心理治疗组60例,男女各半,年龄19～67岁,平均(39.7±3.12)岁.两组患者均给予帕罗西汀(商品名赛乐特)20mg/d,对照组单纯用药物治疗,心理治疗组药物加心理治疗,疗程8周.分别于第0周(基线)、干预后第2周、第4周、第8周使用汉密顿抑郁量表(HAMD)和抑郁自评量表(SDS)进行评分.结果 药物合并心理治疗组的治疗效果优于对照组(P＜0.05),且治疗时间越长,两组的疗效差异越明显.结论 心理治疗对抑郁症患者的康复有积极的作用,药物治疗合并心理治疗较单纯药物治疗更有利.     

同步放化疗治疗中晚期食管癌60例

目的 观察对中晚期食管癌患者同步放化疗,疗效及毒副作用.方法 中晚期食管癌120例,随机分放化疗组60例(简称放化组)和单纯放疗组60例(简称单放组).放疗采用常规分割,DT40 Gy后缩小照射野,避开脊髓斜野照射,加量DT20～30 Gy,6～7周完成.放化组放疗1、4周后应用顺铂(DDP)20 mg/d、亚叶酸钙(CF)0.1 g/d,CF静脉滴注1/2量时5-氟尿嘧啶(5-Fu)500 mg/d静脉滴注,连续5 d为1个周期,化疗当天进行放疗.结果 放化组与单放组1、2、3年生存率分别为67%、46%、34%和52%、38%、24%;放射性肺炎分别为14例和12例;外周血细胞下降分别为26例和17例;胃肠道反应分别为25例和9例;死亡分别为38例和48例.两组治疗效果比较差异有统计学意义(P＜0.05).结论 放疗同步PLF方案化疗治疗中晚期食管癌生存率高,毒副作用及不良反应低.