Managing recurrent urinary catheter blockage: problems, promises, and practicalities.

Long-term urinary catheterization is rarely completely free of complications, and encrustation by mineral salts leading to catheter blockage is common in around 40% to 50% of long-term catheterized patients. Recurrent blockage is a problem, which is both distressing to patients and caregivers and costly to health services in terms of time and resources. This article addresses the causes of recurrent urinary catheter blockage, proactive approaches to care, and the evidence for use of catheter maintenance solutions to reduce buildup of mineral deposits.     

Problems measuring contrast sensitivity in children

A preliminary study measured the contrast sensitivity function (CSF) in 30 children (aged 3 months-5 years). Preferential looking techniques were used to assess CSF to sine wave gratings displayed on one of two screens. To find a meaningful contrast sensitivity procedure we compared the results with a shorter procedure using an edge stimulus. The following problems were encountered: measuring the contrasts required to detect four or five different spatial frequencies took time, resulting in boredom and loss of attention in our subjects; there was poor correlation between CSF and edge detection; an interesting artefact resulted in a plateau rather than a low frequency fall-off in the CSF of five of the children greater than 30 months old. This artefact may have resulted from peripheral rather than central retinal responses and/or motion artefacts in the stimulus onset. A follow up study with 41 additional children aged 3-36 months limited the contrast testing to that of the spatial frequency corresponding to the peak of the CSF. The shortened procedure, plus a lot of encouragement, resulted in higher contrast sensitivities in all but the oldest age group and successful monocular contrast measurements. In order to avoid artefacts arising from peripheral vision, children were encouraged to look at each screen before responding.     

纤维结合素角膜上皮愈合作用的研究

人血浆纤维结合素对家兔刮除和板层切除后的角膜上皮愈合均有一定促进作用，角膜上皮裸区明显缩小，优于对照眼。临床治疗５类角膜上皮障碍５９例６１眼，均获得显著疗效。     

Gonadal steroid preservation of central synaptic input to hamster facial motoneurons following peripheral axotomy

In recent work, we have demonstrated that testosterone propionate accelerates recovery from facial nerve injury in the adult male hamster. Central synaptic stripping following peripheral motor neuron damage is a well-established component of the injury response. Gonadal steroids regulate synaptogenesis in the normal nervous system. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that testosterone propionate administration at the time of facial nerve transection alters the synaptic connectivity of injured facial motoneurons. Adult hamsters were subjected to right facial nerve transection at the level of the stylomastoid foramen. Half the animals received subcutaneous implants of testosterone propionate; the other half were sham implanted. At 5 days postoperative, the animals were killed by intracardiac perfusion-fixation, and the control and axotomized facial nuclear groups from the brainstems of nonhormone- and testosterone propionate-treated animals processed for routine transmission electron microscopy. Quantiative analysis of the synaptic ratio (percent somal membrane covered by synaptic profiles) and the average length of axosomatic synapses was accomplished. The results indicate that axotomy alone resulted in an 81% reduction in the synaptic ratio and a 26% decrease in the average synaptic length of axosomatic synapses. Exposure to testosterone propionate from the time of facial nerve transection resulted in only a 48% reduction in the synaptic ratio and a 16% decrease in the average synaptic length of axosomatic synapses following injury. Thus, testosterone propionate significantly attenuated the amount of synaptic stripping that occurred at 5 days postoperative and the decrease in average length of the remaining synapses as well. It is concluded that gonadal steroids modulate central synaptic plasticity following peripheral nerve injury. The results are discussed in light of our recent findings of steroidal effects on the central astrocyctic response to facial nerve injury as well.     

Immunohistochemical and histochemical study on colorectal adenomas and polyps]

Immunohistochemical staining and histochemical approach for mucin were applied in studying 58 cases of colorectal adenomas. Among them, there were 13 cases of multiple adenomas (polyps), 5 cases of inflammatory polyps and 5 cases of juvenile polyps. The results indicated that positive expression of both McAb MC5 and Ulex europaeus agglutinin-1(UEA-1) were correlating with the degree of dysplasia, the histological type and the size of adenomas. The positive expression of peanut agglutinin (PNA) was correlating with the degree of dysplasia. Moderate and heavy stainings were mainly seen in adenomas accompanying with moderate and severe dysplasia, as well as adenomas with early carcinomatous changes. PAT-KOH-PAS method could sensitively reflect the occurrence of dysplasia and malignancy of the adenomas. These findings support the concept of an adenoma(dysplasia)-carcinoma sequence. In comparing multiple adenomas (number of adenomas > 100) with the solitary ones, a notable difference was obtained in the expression of McAb MC5. It's concluded that combined use of certain immunohistochemical and histochemical stainings is well be useful in detecting the malignant potentiality of adenoma.