Gallbladder bile in cholecystitis: in vitro MR evaluation

Fifty-three samples of gallbladder bile were obtained at the time of cholecystectomy from patients with the clinical diagnosis of acute or chronic cholecystitis. Five bile samples from patients with clinically normal gallbladders also were obtained. Proton magnetic resonance (MR) relaxation times, protein content, and water content were determined for the bile samples, and the data were grouped according to pathologic diagnosis, which disclosed 11 cases of acute cholecystitis, 41 cases of chronic cholecystitis, and six normal gallbladders. There was no significant difference in the mean T1 and T2 values between the groups with acute and chronic cholecystitis. Patients with chronic cholecystitis were found to have more concentrated bile than those with acute cholecystitis. Protein content varied widely within both groups of patients. We conclude that T1 and T2 relaxation times do not reliably differentiate acute from chronic cholecystitis.     

6Effect of a water load test on gastric myoelectrical activity and upper gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with nausea and vomiting of pregnancy

Nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (NVP) is a common syndrome in which symptoms predominate in the first trimester of pregnancy. Symptoms range from mild to severe and afflict up to 80% of pregnant women. The underlying mechanisms of NVP remain poorly understood. Provocative gastric function testing has not been performed in these patients. Aims: The aim of this study were to determine the effects of the water load test (WLT) on gastric myoelectrical activity, nausea, and other upper gastrointestinal symptoms in pregnant women. Method: 46 women with NVP were studied prospectively. Gastric myoelectrical activity was recorded throughout the study by electrogastrography (EGG). A 15 min baseline period was followed by a WLT during which patients ingested water until full over a 5 min period. After the WLT, an additional 30 min of EGG was recorded. EGG responses were categorized into four groups: normal (2.5–3.7 cpm), bradygastria (1.0–2.5 cpm), tachygastria (3.7–10.0 cpm), and mixed gastric dysrhythmia (tachygastria and bradygastria). Nausea, bloating, stomach fullness, and abdominal discomfort were recorded before, and 10, 20, and 30 minutes after the WLT on 100 mm visual analogue scales. Results: In response to the WLT, 14% of the women exhibited normal EGG responses, while significantly more (86%) exhibited gastric dysrhythmias (p < 0.01). Of the dysrhythmic EGG responses, 57% were tachygastria, 11% were bradygastria, and 18% were mixed gastric dysrhythmia. Patients with tachygastria ingested less water (338 ml) than patients with normal (371 ml), bradygastria (415 ml), or mixed gastric dysrhythmia (394 ml) patterns, but the differences were not statistically significant. 46% of the women reported nausea at baseline; significantly more women (72%) reported nausea after the WLT (p < 0.05). At 20 min after the WLT, a significant, direct relationship was observed between nausea severity and tachygastria (p < 0.05). The other upper gastrointestinal symptoms were not significantly increased by the WLT. Conclusions: (1) 86% of the pregnant women in this sample developed gastric dysrhythmias in response to the WLT. (2) Tachygastria was the most common dysrhythmia, and increased tachygastria was correlated with increased nausea. Gastric dysrhythmias are evoked by the WLT in women with NVP, suggesting these dysrhythmias have a pathophysiological role in the mechanism of NVP, and are a target for future therapies.     

经前方颈椎体切除入路切除椎管内肿瘤一例及文献复习

后方入路对某些位于脊髓腹侧肿瘤的显露与切除仍有困难,而前方入路可能更适宜这种病例。笔者经前路切除颈椎管内肿瘤1例,结合文献复习报告如下。     

Lack of Efficacy of Bevacizumab Plus Irinotecan in Children with Recurrent Malignant Glioma and Diffuse Brainstem Glioma:A Pediatric Brain Tumor Consortium Study

PURPOSE:A phase Ⅱ study of bevacizumab(BVZ) plus irinotecan(CPT-11) was conducted in children with recurrent malignant glioma(MG) and intrinsic brainstem glioma(BSG).PATIENTS AND METHODS:Eligible patients received two doses of BVZ intravenously     

Passive movement therapy in patients with moderate to severe paratonia; study protocol of a randomised clinical trial (ISRCTN43069940)

Background

We studied whether the twelve-month use of a standard computer would induce complaints of upper limb pain or functional limitations in older novice computer users.

Methods

Participants between 64 and 76 of age were randomly assigned to an Intervention group (n = 62), whose members received a personal computer and fast Internet access at their homes, or a No Intervention control group (n = 61), whose members refrained from computer use during the twelve month study period.

Results

Difference scores between baseline and twelve months assessments on both complaint (SFS) and functional health scales (SF-36) did not differ between groups (all p > .05).

Conclusion

Prolonged, self-paced use of a standard computer interface does not put older persons at a risk of upper limb complaints or reduce functional health in older adults.     

Incidence of infectious diseases in infants fed follow‐on formula containing synbiotics: an observational study

Aim: Infectious diseases in infants are a major public health issue. Synbiotic‐enriched formulas (EF) are intended to mimic the beneficial effects of human milk on infectious diseases. We performed an observational study in infants switching to follow‐on formula to determine the effects of synbiotic‐enriched formula compared to standard formula (SF). Methods: We recorded family characteristics, medical history and growth data, as well as the symptoms, severity and treatment of infectious diseases. Main outcome measures were compared after adjustments for baseline characteristics. Results: Between January and June 2007, 771 healthy infants were included in the study; 35.4% experienced at least one infectious disease during the 3‐month study period. The most common were upper respiratory tract (24.1%), otitis (6.6%) and gastrointestinal infectious diseases (5.0%). Infants fed synbiotic‐enriched formula had fewer infectious diseases overall (EF: 31.0%; SF: 40.6%; p = 0.005) and significantly fewer gastrointestinal infectious diseases (EF: 3.5%; SF: 6.8%; p = 0.03). During follow‐up, weight gain was significantly higher (p = 0.0467) in infants fed synbiotic‐enriched formula (18.3 ± 8.7 g/day) versus SF (16.9 ± 7.5 g/day). Conclusions: Supplementation with synbiotics may have beneficial effects on the incidence of infectious disease and growth in infants. Further studies are needed determine optimal doses and composition of synbiotics in infant formula.     

Platelet thromboxane(11-dehydro-Thromboxane B_2) and aspirin response in patients with diabetes and coronary artery disease

Aspirin(ASA) irreversibly inhibits platelet cyclooxygenase-1(COX-1) leading to decreased thromboxane-mediated platelet activation. The effect of ASA ingestion on thromboxane generation was evaluated in patients with diabetes(DM) and cardiovascular disease. Thromboxane inhibition was assessed by measuring the urinary excretion of 11-dehydro-thromboxane B2(11dhTxB2), a stable metabolite of thromboxane A2. The mean baseline urinary 11dhTxB2 of DM was 69.6% higher than healthy controls(P = 0.024): female subjects(DM and controls) had 50.9% higher baseline 11dhTxB2 than males(P = 0.0004), while age or disease duration had no influence. Daily ASA ingestion inhibited urinary 11dhTxB2 in both DM(71.7%) and controls(75.1%, P 0.0001). Using a pre-established cut-off of 1500 pg/mg of urinary 11dhTxB2, there were twice as many ASA poor responders(ASA "resistant") in DM than in controls(14.8% and 8.4%, respectively). The rate of ASA poor responders in two populations of acute coronary syndrome(ACS) patients was 28.6 and 28.7%, in spite of a significant(81.6%) inhibition of urinary 11dhTxB2(P 0.0001). Both baseline 11dhTxB2 levels and rate of poor ASA responders were significantly higher in DM and ACS compared to controls. Underlying systemic oxidative inflammation may maintain platelet function in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease irrespective of COX-1 pathway inhibition and/or increase systemic generation of thromboxane from non-platelet sources.