Interleukin-5 is at 5q31 and is deleted in the 5q- syndrome

Human interleukin-5 (IL-5) is a selective eosinophilopoietic and eosinophil-activating growth hormone. By in situ hybridization this gene is mapped to chromosome 5q23.3 to 5q32. It is shown to be deleted in two patients with the 5q-syndrome and in one patient previously diagnosed with myelodysplasia whose condition had progressed to acute myeloblastic leukemia. The clustering of other genes involved in hematopoiesis (IL-3, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, feline sarcoma viral oncogene homolog, colony-stimulating factor 1) to the same region as IL-5 suggests a nonrandom localization and raises interesting questions concerning the evolution and regulation of these genes.     

An ‘early warning system’ for health needs: surveillance of the quality of clinical services by audit of extra-contractual referrals (ECRs)

Extra-contractual referrals (ECRs) can be a cause of considerable anxiety to purchasing authorities, mainly because of their potential to generate unexpected expenditure. But ECRs can also be used as a tool for monitoring the demand for, and quality of, clinical services. ECRs were studied in the Darlington Health Authority district using a variety of methods including inter-disciplinary meetings, a series of interviews with local GPs, and a questionnaire to general practitioners on 230 consecutive ECRs. The methods and results of the questionnaire study are presented. The commonest reasons for making ECRs included the mistaken belief that a contract existed with the ECR provider, patient dissatisfaction with the local provider, and referral to benefit from shorter waiting lists. ECRs for bone-mass densitometry, orthopaedics, and ear nose and throat services were over-represented. Questionnaire results were validated by comparison with an interview study of all GPs in the district. We conclude that trends in ECRs can be monitored as a convenient ‘early warning system’ to alert purchasing authorities to changes in demand or perceived problems with local provider units. ECR data must be interpreted in the context of further local background information from sources such as GPs and public health physicians. In the case of Darlington, scrutiny of ECRs has led to changes in services and contracts.     

氟康唑治疗复发性真菌性阴道炎32例

0　引言　真菌性阴道炎是妇科常见病 ,常因治疗不彻底 ,反复发作而转为慢性 .2 a来我们采用氟康唑治疗复发性真菌性阴道炎 32例 ,取得较好疗效 .1　对象和方法1.1　对象　本组 32例 ,年龄 18～ 6 2 (平均 33岁 ) .未婚 2例 .已婚 30例 ,病程 0 .5～ 8a,平均 10 mo.诊断 :1明显自觉症状 :外阴、阴道瘙痒、烧灼感 ,皮肤粘膜充血 ,白带增多、豆渣样 .2阴道分泌物涂片 :显微镜下找到菌丝及芽孢 .3反复发作 :1a内有 4次复发症状出现 ,除外其他病变 [1 ,2 ] .1.2　方法　氟康唑由第二军医大学药学院提供 ,15 0 mg顿服 ,2～ 3wk1次 .治疗期间停用与…     

Quality of general movements in preterm infants with transient periventricular echodensities

By means of sequential videotape recordings, the relevance of the quality of general movements for neurological outcome was determined in a group of 21 appropriate-for-gestational-age preterm infants with transient periventricular echodensities of variable localization and duration and in 6 infants without echodensities. Echodensities, especially in the parieto-occipital area, affected the quality of general movements. Echodensities persisting beyond 14 d were associated with abnormal general movements; infants with echodensities up to 14 d had either normal or abnormal general movements. The developmental course of movement quality was correlated to neurological outcome (p < 0:005): normal outcomes were found in 11/12 infants with normal general movements throughout and in 9/11 infants with transient abnormal general movements; all 4 infants with persistent abnormal general movements had impaired outcomes. In infants with transient echodensities, longitudinal assessment of the quality of general movements helps to determine if there is brain dysfunction, either transient or persistent, and identifies infants at risk for impaired neurological outcomes.     

Evaluation of 2 brief instruments and a food-frequency questionnaire to estimate daily number of servings of fruit and vegetables

BACKGROUND: Measurement of fruit and vegetable intake is important in the surveillance of populations and in epidemiologic studies that examine the relations between diet and disease. Some situations require the use of brief dietary assessment tools. OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to evaluate the performance of 2 brief dietary assessment instruments, a 7-item standard screener and a new 16-item screener, and a complete food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ) in measuring total fruit and vegetable consumption. DESIGN: About 800 men and women from the National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health Study completed an FFQ, 1 of the 2 screeners, and two 24-h dietary recalls. Fruit and vegetable intakes as measured by each screener and the FFQ were compared with estimated true usual intake by using a measurement-error model. RESULTS: Median daily servings of fruit and vegetables were underestimated by both screeners. The estimated agreement between true intake and the screener was higher for the new screener than for the standard screener and was higher for women than for men. The estimated agreement between true intake and the FFQ was higher than that for both screeners. Attenuation coefficients for the FFQ and screeners were comparable. CONCLUSIONS: For estimating median intakes of fruit and vegetables and the prevalence of recommended intakes being met, the use of screeners without appropriate adjustment is suboptimal. For estimating relative risks in the relations between fruit and vegetable intake and disease, screeners and this FFQ are similar in performance.