Five-day storage of platelets in a non-diethylhexyl phthalate- plasticized container

A non-diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP)-plasticized blood bag for 5-day storage of random-donor platelet concentrates has been developed. The plastic bag is composed of polyvinylchloride plastic with a butyryl trihexyl citrate plasticizer. The suitability of this plastic for the storage of platelet concentrates for use in clinical transfusion practice was evaluated. In vitro storage studies showed no significant differences at Day 5 for a series of in vitro assays (test plastic vs. control plastic) including pH (7.31 vs. 7.44), lactate dehydrogenase discharge (21.8 vs. 17.1%), pO2 (103 vs. 120 torr), osmotic recovery (52 vs. 57%), and morphology score (527 vs. 516). For paired radiolabeled recovery and survival data from autologous blood donors, results showed equivalence between the test plastic and two control plastics. A small but significant difference between test and control plastics in regard to survival was found by using a linear computer model, but not with a gamma function (multiple-hit) model. For paired transfusions to thrombocytopenic patients, the corrected count increments at 1 to 4 hours (test vs. control) were 13,534 versus 15,494 (p > 0.05, NS). Similar results were seen for corrected count increments determined at 12 to 24 hours. It can be concluded that platelets stored in the test plastic are acceptable for use in clinical practice.     

Quality of measurements of acute surgical and traumatic wounds using a digital wound‐analysing tool

The aim of this study was to assess the reliability of measurements using a wound‐analysing tool and their interpretability. Wound surface areas and tissue types, such as granulation, slough and necrosis, in twenty digital photographs were measured using a specific software program. The ratio of these tissue types in a wound was calculated using a wound profile. We calculated the intraclass coefficient or κ for reliability, standard error of measurement (SEM) and smallest detectable change (SDC). The inter‐rater reliability intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was 0·99 for surface area, 0·76 for granulation, 0·67 for slough and 0·22 for necrosis. The profiles gave an overall κ of 0·16. For test–retest reliability, the ICC was 0·99 for surface area, 0·81 for granulation, 0·80 for slough and 0·97 for necrosis. The agreement of the applied profiles in the test–retest was 66% (40–100). SEM and SDC for surface area were 0·10/0·27; for granulation, 6·88/19·08; for slough, 7·17/19·87; and for necrosis, 0·35/0·98, respectively. Measuring wound surface area and tissue types by means of digital photo analysis is a reliable and applicable method for monitoring wound healing in acute wounds in daily practice as well as in research.     

Thymus and mediastinal node involvement in childhood langerhans cell histiocytosis: Long‐term follow‐up from the French national cohort

Background

Mediastinal involvement (MI) in Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) has been rarely reported. Here, we describe the clinical, radiological, and biological presentation, and the outcome of childhood LCH with MI.

Method

From the French LCH register, which includes 1,423 patients aged less than 18 years, we retrieved the medical charts of patients with mediastinal enlargement detected on chest X‐rays.

Results

Thirty‐seven patients were retrieved, including 18 males; median age of diagnosis was 0.7 years, and median follow‐up time was 6.2 years. The prevalence of MI varied with the age at diagnosis, ranging from 7% below 1 year old to less than 1% at >5 years. Thirteen cases (35%) were diagnosed because of MI‐related symptoms, including respiratory distress (N = 4), superior venous cava syndrome (N = 2), and/or cough and polypnea (N = 10). CT scans performed in 32 cases at diagnosis showed tracheal compression (N = 5), cava thrombosis (N = 2), and/or calcification (N = 16). All patients presented multi‐system disease at LCH diagnosis, and 35/37 were initially treated with vinblastine and corticosteroids. Death occurred in five cases, due to MI (N = 1) or hematological refractory involvement (N = 4). The overall 5‐year survival was 87.1%, and immunodeficiency was not detected as a sequel.

Conclusions

MI in LCH mainly occurs in young children, and diagnosis was based on CT showing thymus enlargement and calcifications. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2013;60:1759–1765. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Serum hepatitis B surface antigen correlates with fibrosis and necroinflammation: A multicentre perspective in China

The kinetics of serum hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) during the natural history of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection has been studied, but the factors affecting them remain unclear. We aimed to investigate the factors affecting HBsAg titres, using data from multicentre, large‐sized clinical trials in China. The baseline data of 1795 patients in 3 multicentre trials were studied, and the patients were classified into 3 groups: hepatitis B early antigen (HBeAg)‐positive chronic HBV infection (n = 588), HBeAg‐positive chronic hepatitis B (n = 596), and HBeAg‐negative chronic hepatitis B (n = 611). HBsAg titres in the different phases were compared, and multiple linear progression analyses were performed to investigate the implicated factors. HBsAg titres varied significantly in different phases (P = .000), with the highest (4.60 log10 IU/mL [10%‐90% confidence interval: 3.52 log10 IU/mL‐4.99 log10 IU/mL]) in patients with HBeAg‐positive chronic HBV infection. In all phases, age and HBV DNA were correlated with serum HBsAg level. In HBeAg‐positive chronic hepatitis B patients, a negative correlation between HBsAg titres and fibrosis stage was observed. Alanine amonitransferase or necroinflammatory activity was also correlated with HBsAg titres in HBeAg‐negative chronic hepatitis B patients. In conclusion, decreased HBsAg titres may be associated with advancing fibrosis in HBeAg‐positive chronic hepatitis B patients or increased necroinflammation in those with HBeAg‐negative chronic hepatitis B. Our findings may help clinicians better understand the kinetics of HBsAg and provide useful insights into the management of this disease.     

Dosimetric implications of the addition of 18 fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography in CT-based radiotherapy planning for non-small-cell lung cancer

The aim of this study was to assess the impact of F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) CT on radiotherapy planning parameters for patients treated curatively with radiotherapy for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Five patients with stages I–III NSCLC underwent a diagnostic FDG-PET CT (dPET CT), planning FDG-PET CT (pPET CT) and a simulation CT (RTP CT). For each patient, three radiation oncologists delineated a gross tumour volume based on RTP CT alone, and fused with dPET CT and pPET CT. Standard expansions were used to generate PTVs, and a 3D conformal plan was created. Normal tissue doses were compared between plans. Coverage of pPET CT PTV by the plans based on RTP CT and dPET CT was assessed, and tumour control probabilities were calculated. Mean PTV was similar between RTP CT, dPET CT and pPET CT, although there were significant inter-observer differences in four patients. The plans, however, showed no significant differences in doses to lung, oesophagus, heart or spinal cord. The RTP CT plan and dPET CT plan significantly underdosed the pPET PTV in two patients with minimum doses ranging from 12 to 63% of prescribed dose. Coverage by the 95% isodose was suboptimal in these patients, but this did not translate into poorer tumour control probability. The effect of fused FDG-PET varied between observers. The addition of dPET and pPET did not significantly change the radiotherapy planning parameters. Although FDG-PET is of benefit in tumour delineation, its effect on normal tissue complication probability and tumour control probability cannot be predicted.     

The effect of casein phosphopeptide-amorphous calcium phosphate on erosive dentine wear

Background:  Erosive tooth wear is a growing concern in clinical dentistry. Our aims were to assess the effect of Tooth Mousse (TM) in managing erosive dentine wear in vitro .
Methods:  Opposing enamel and dentine specimens from 36 third molar teeth were worn under a load of 100 N for 75 000 cycles in electromechanical tooth wear machines. In experiment 1, TM was applied continuously at the wear interface and the mean dentine wear rate was compared with those of specimens subjected to continuous application of hydrochloric acid (HCl, pH 3.0) and deionized water (DW, pH 6.1) as lubricants. In experiment 2, specimens were subjected to TM application every 1600 cycles at both pH 3.0 and 6.1, and the mean dentine wear rates were compared with those of specimens worn with continuous application of HCl and DW lubricants.
Results:  Dentine wear was reduced significantly with continuous application of TM compared with HCl and DW lubricants. Specimens prepared with continuous TM application displayed smooth wear facets, whereas more pronounced microwear details were observed with HCl and DW lubricants.
Conclusions:  Both remineralization and lubrication seem to contribute to reduction in dentine wear associated with TM application, although lubrication appears to have a more pronounced effect.     

剖宫产术后晚期产后出血11例分析

1临床资料1991-01/2004-10我院发生剖宫产术后晚期产后出血7例,外院转入4例,患者年龄25~34(平均26.6)岁.初产妇8例,经产妇3例,均为子宫下段剖宫产.出血发生在产后8~35(18±6)d(产后2~3wk多见),表现为突然发生阴道出血,鲜红色,出血量500~2500(平均1000)mL.患者均有头晕、心慌,合并出血性休克者6例.B超检查10例提示子宫下段切口有暗区,1例提示有胎盘残留.本组11例均用宫缩剂和广谱抗生素治疗,出血多或伴有休克者予输血,最多者输血2500mL,1例在B超监测下行清宫术,刮出物经病理证实为胎盘胎膜残留,7例行子宫次全切除术,3例行全子宫切除术.行子…     

TRIPS,the Doha Declaration and increasing access to medicines: policy options for Ghana

There are acute disparities in pharmaceutical access between developing and industrialized countries. Developing countries make up approximately 80% of the world's population but only represent approximately 20% of global pharmaceutical consumption. Among the many barriers to drug access are the potential consequences of the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement. Many developing countries have recently modified their patent laws to conform to the TRIPS standards, given the 2005 deadline for developing countries. Safeguards to protect public health have been incorporated into the TRIPS Agreement; however, in practice governments may be reluctant to exercise such rights given concern about the international trade and political ramifications. The Doha Declaration and the recent Decision on the Implementation of Paragraph 6 of the Doha Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health may provide more freedom for developing countries in using these safeguards. This paper focuses on Ghana, a developing country that recently changed its patent laws to conform to TRIPS standards. We examine Ghana's patent law changes in the context of the Doha Declaration and assess their meaning for access to drugs of its population. We discuss new and existing barriers, as well as possible solutions, to provide policy-makers with lessons learned from the Ghanaian experience.