Effect of dietary deficiency and supplementation with all-rac-alpha-tocopherol on hepatic content in rats.

We studied the effect of dietary deficiency and supplementation with vitamin E in the form of all-rac-alpha-tocopherol in relation to the content of alpha-tocopherol in parenchymal and nonparenchymal liver cells. The cells were isolated by centrifugal elutriation from rats fed diets containing normal, low or high amounts of vitamin E. The parenchymal cells contained about 90% of total hepatic alpha-tocopherol content in rats fed a nonpurified diet (reference group). However, the Kupffer and the endothelial/stellate cells contained four and two times more alpha-tocopherol, respectively, than the parenchymal cells per milligram of cell protein. When the rats were deprived of vitamin E for 8 wk, the content of alpha-tocopherol in parenchymal cells was reduced to 30% of values obtained from rats fed the nonpurified diet, and nonparenchymal cells contained very low levels of alpha-tocopherol (less than 5% of reference values). A diet enriched in vitamin E resulted in a sixfold increase in the content of alpha-tocopherol in parenchymal cells but in small changes in nonparenchymal cells compared to the reference diet. Accordingly, the parenchymal cells may have storage capacity for alpha-tocopherol. The light mitochondrial and microsomal fractions contained high amounts of alpha-tocopherol. These fractions were subdivided by density gradient centrifugation to examine the alpha-tocopherol content in different cell organelles. The lysosomes and the Golgi apparatus were found to contain high levels of alpha-tocopherol, whereas peroxisomes contained small amounts.     

A Mycobacterium tuberculosis cluster demonstrating the use of genotyping in urban tuberculosis control

Background  

DNA fingerprinting of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates offers better opportunities to study links between tuberculosis (TB) cases and can highlight relevant issues in urban TB control in low-endemic countries.     

Aged venous thrombi: radioimmunoimaging with fibrin-specific monoclonal antibody

Radioimmunoimaging of fresh canine venous thrombi with a murine monoclonal antibody specific for human and dog fibrin has been reported. Successful imaging of canine deep venous thrombi 1, 3, and 5 days old at the time of antibody injection is reported. Images were positive in all dogs, and the uptake of fibrin-specific antibody was equivalent to that of fresh thrombi.     

ABO compatibility can influence the results of platelet transfusion. Results of a randomized trial

Sixty consecutive patients with untreated acute leukemia alternately received either ABO-matched or ABO-mismatched random-donor platelet transfusions prepared from pooled platelet concentrate stored for 1 to 3 days. Patients were assigned randomly to receive matched or mismatched platelets as their first transfusion, and the first four transfusions were analyzed. In 40 evaluable patients, there was no significant difference (paired t test) between the 10-minute posttransfusion corrected count increments (CCI) of the initial transfusions of matched and mismatched platelets. In contrast, the second matched transfusion was significantly better than the second mismatched transfusion. This effect of ABO compatibility was particularly pronounced in a subset of patients. Six patients in whom mismatched transfusions were consistently inferior to matched transfusions had either a significant increase in anti-A or -B isoagglutinin titers following the first transfusion or elevated titers before or at the conclusion of the study. Conversely, in five patients in whom there was no apparent effect of ABO mismatching, only one had an increase in isoagglutinin titer. Platelet survival was not altered as the ratio of 18-hour to 10-minute posttransfusion CCl was 0.6 for both matched and mismatched platelet transfusions. These data demonstrate that ABO compatibility can affect the results of random-donor platelet transfusions and that patients who experience poor increments from ABO-mismatched platelets may benefit from a trial of ABO-compatible platelets before the initiation of HLA-matched platelet transfusion.     

PRIMARY MENINGOCOCCAL CONJUNCTIVITIS IN CHILDREN

SUMMARY Four cases of primary meningococcal conjunctivitis in children are reported. This represents an incidence of 2% of patients presenting with conjunctivitis to a paediatric A&E department. All were initially treated with topical chloramphenicol, followed by systemic rifampicin once the diagnosis had been established. No ocular or systemic complications developed, nor recolonisation of the conjunctiva or colonisation of the nasopharynx at follow-up (1–2 years).     

Cytomegalovirus-seronegative blood components for the prevention of primary cytomegalovirus infection after marrow transplantation. Considerations for blood banks

The authors report 2.5 years' experience with the use of cytomegalovirus (CMV)-seronegative blood components for the prevention of primary CMV infection after allogeneic marrow transplantation from seronegative marrow donors to 104 CMV-seronegative patients. Patients and blood donors were screened for CMV-seronegativity by a combination of passive latex agglutination, complement fixation, and indirect hemagglutination CMV antibody screening methods. Changes in blood banking procedures necessary to provide CMV-seronegative components are detailed. Providing CMV-seronegative components was a considerable undertaking; a mean, per patient, of 19 units of red cells and 105 units of platelets was required. Twenty percent of the platelet support was provided by family members and 80 percent by volunteer donors. CMV-infection was eliminated in all but one patient not considered infected at the time of transplantation. The capability to provide CMV-seronegative components depends on an adequate supply of seronegative donors, a sensitive and practical screening method for CMV antibody, a major commitment by the blood bank, and close communication between the blood bank and the patients' physicians.     

音乐疗法对门诊输液患者心理的影响

目的探讨中医五行音乐疗法对门诊输液患者心理安抚的作用与效果。方法2006年3月-2007年3月，按四时节气的不同，依据中医的五行相克理论，对治疗组的408例门诊输液患者进行音乐干预，而同期对照组396例门诊输液患者不接受音乐疗法。采用自制的调查表，获取他们对环境和服务的满意程度。结果治疗组患者，对门诊输液的满意度较对照组高，差异有统计学意义，P〈0.01。治疗组患者，对医院和本部的投诉率较对照组低，差异有统计学意义，P〈0.01。结论音乐疗法对门诊输液患者的心理有一定的安抚作用。