Regulation of NGF gene expression in CNS glia by cell-cell contact.

Nerve growth factor (NGF) gene expression in central nervous system (CNS) glia appears to be associated with active glial growth. To study the underlying molecular mechanisms, we examined the effects of a number of growth-related factors on NGF mRNA expression in glial cultures. Our results suggest that glial membrane interaction, as a consequence of growth, actively inhibits NGF gene expression in CNS glia.     

强直性脊柱炎患者外周血CD62P的表达

目的探讨剖宫产指征的变化情况，分析影响剖宫产率的因素。方法 回顾性分析1393例剖宫产患者的临床资料。结果2年的平均剖宫产率为66．7％，其中2004年的剖宫产率为59．9％，2005年的剖富产率为72．2％，差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）。剖宫产率的主要影响因素依次为社会因素（29．43％）、胎儿宫内窘迫（25．13％）、胎位异常（9．62％）、巨大胎儿（7．25％）、中至重度妊娠高血压综合征（6．25％）。结论剖宫产率的上升不只是一个纯医学问题，社会因素使剖宫产指征相对扩大，只有合理掌握剖宫产指征，通过医患双方、社会的共同努力，才能更好地降低剖宫产率。     

Adrenergic signalling between rat taste receptor cells

In taste buds, synaptic transmission is traditionally thought to occur from taste receptor cells to the afferent nerve. This communication reports the novel observation that taste receptor cells respond to adrenergic stimulation. Noradrenaline application inhibited outward potassium currents in a dose-dependent manner. This inhibition was mimicked by the β agonist isoproterenol and blocked by the β antagonist propranolol. The α agonists clonidine and phenylephrine both inhibited the potassium currents and elevated intracellular calcium levels. Inwardly rectifying potassium currents were unaffected by adrenergic stimulation. Experiments using the RT-PCR technique demonstrate that lingual epithelium expresses multiple α (α1a, α1b, α1c, α1d, α2a, α2b, α2c) and β (β1, β2) subtypes of adrenergic receptors, and immunocytochemistry localized noradrenaline to a subset of taste receptor cells. Collectively, these data imply strongly that adrenergic transmission within the taste bud may play a paracrine role in taste physiology.     

北方亦多湿续论

我在20世纪80年代初期,曾发表“北方亦多湿论”的短文,但失之过简,今按四时更迭,主要节令交替详细阐述之。在未入正题之前,先读一下毛主席的《沁园春·雪》,俾对北方气候有所了解:“北国风光,千里冰封,万里雪飘,望长城内外,惟余莽莽,大河上下,顿失滔滔。山舞银蛇,原驰蜡象,欲与     

Survey of psychiatric disorders in a Taiwanese village population six months after a major earthquake.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The catastrophic Chi-Chi earthquake of September 21, 1999 in Taiwan provided a unique opportunity to study the disaster's psychiatric impact on survivors. This study assessed the development of psychiatric disorders among residents in a Taiwanese village near the epicenter of the earthquake within 6 months of the disaster. METHODS: A total of 442 of the 602 actual living residents of Tong-Chi village who were over 16 years of age and were present in the community at the time of the earthquake were included in this population survey. Subjects were interviewed by psychiatrists using the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview and questionnaires to collect demographic information and risk factors for psychiatric disorders 4 to 6 months after the earthquake. RESULTS: The prevalence rates were 9.5% for current major depression, 2.8% for past major depressive episode, and 7.9% for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Females had significantly higher rates of most psychiatric disorders. After controlling for covariates, the significant risk factors for PTSD were female gender and having sought medical service after the earthquake. Significant risk factors for major depressive episode were divorced/widowed status, education level equal to or below primary school, and prominent house damage. CONCLUSION: This population survey of earthquake disaster survivors found an increased prevalence of psychiatric disorders after exposure to a catastrophic earthquake. These results highlight the need for prompt therapeutic attention to residents of earthquake disaster areas after the event.     

Matched-unrelated-donor bone marrow transplantation for children with leukemia.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: This report describes the results of matched-unrelated-donor transplant for leukemia or myelodysplasia in the first 23 recipient children at a single medical center in Taiwan. METHODS: Between August 1994 and February 2003, 23 consecutive children with leukemia or myelodysplasia underwent matched-unrelated-donor bone marrow transplantation (BMT). The preparative regimen consisted of fractionated total body irradiation and cyclophosphamide in 6 patients; busulfan in combination with etoposide and cyclophosphamide in 4 patients who received cranial irradiation before transplantation; and busulfan and cyclophosphamide in 13 patients. RESULTS: Engraftment was achieved in 91.3% of cases. Acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) occurred in 18 of 21 patients who engrafted (85.7%). Event-free survival for all patients was 24.46 +/- 9.24%. The 12 children with standard-risk disease had better event-free survival than the 11 children with high-risk disease (46.88 +/- 15.03% vs 0%, p < or = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The major obstacles to successful matched-unrelated-donor BMT are acute GVHD, relapse and infection. Early transplantation and patient selection, prophylactic and therapeutic maneuvers for GVHD, as well as appropriate donor selection and virus prophylaxis may improve the results.     

Pneumocephalus after thoracoscopic excision of posterior mediastinal tumor.

Pneumocephalus is a very rare complication of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). A 66-year-old man developed pneumocephalus secondary to thoracoscopic excision of a neurogenic tumor in the posterior mediastinum. Pneumocephalus was diagnosed by brain computed tomography. Neurosurgical intervention was performed after conservative therapy had failed. The patient's condition had resolved without any neurologic sequelae 2 years later. When a patient has a relatively large amount of chest tube drainage and neurologic symptoms after VATS, the possibility of pneumocephalus due to cerebrospinal fluid leakage must be considered.     

抓住机遇构建和谐发展的疾病防控体系

近几年，国家加强了对突发公共卫生事件应急反应能力的要求，人民群众的防病意识不断增强，疾病控制中心传统工作模式受到了极大挑战。吉林省疾病预防控制中心作为省直卫生系统人事制度改革试点单位，于2003年11月初开始，历经2个月时间圆满完成了单位人事制度与分配制度改革工作，取得了令人满意的效果。现将我们的做法与体会总结如下。