Relative distribution of Schistosoma japonicum eggs in the intestine of man: a subject of inconsistency.

The relative distribution of Schistosoma japonicum eggs in the intestine of man is inconsistent in the literature. Some scientists believe that the adult S. japonicum worms reside mainly in the superior mesenteric vein and their eggs are deposited predominately in the small intestine, whereas others have shown that the adult worms have a predilection for inhabiting the branches of the inferior mesenteric vein and superior haemorrhoidal vein and their eggs are deposited in much higher density in the large intestine, especially in the rectum, sigmoid and descending colon, than in the small intestine. A review of the literature was made which includes the results from animal experiments as well as from human clinical and pathological studies. The author is in favour of the latter view that in man, S. japonicum eggs are deposited predominately in the large intestine and small intestine involvement is usually slight.     

Fulminant childhood hemophagocytic syndrome mimicking histiocytic medullary reticulosis. An atypical form of Epstein-Barr virus infection.

Ten cases of pediatric fulminant hemophagocytic syndrome, encountered between 1986 and 1989, are described. They occurred in the summer, and the patients presented with fever, jaundice, hepatosplenomegaly, pancytopenia, coagulopathy, and abnormal liver function. Bone marrow studies revealed infiltration by atypical T-lymphoid cells, rare B immunoblasts, and mature histiocytes with hemophagocytosis. Initially, histiocytic medullary reticulosis was suspected in six cases. The clinical course was characterized by rapid deterioration, with a mean period of 16 days from onset of fever to death. The main causes of death were coagulopathy with multiple organ failure and opportunistic infection. In seven of eight cases studied by serologic assay and Southern blot hybridization, acute or active Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection was documented. It is suggested that an atypical or fulminant form of primary EBV infection distinct from classic infectious mononucleosis was prevalent in previously healthy children in Taiwan. Younger age involvement and seasonal clustering were characteristic of the disorder described.     

Diagnostic value of GDx polarimetry in a Taiwan Chinese population.

PURPOSE: To study the diagnostic ability of scanning laser polarimetry with variable corneal compensation (GDx VCC) for early glaucomatous (EG) eyes and glaucoma-suspect (GS) eyes in a Taiwan Chinese population. METHODS: This prospective cross-sectional study included 82 EG eyes (mean deviation, MD: -3.32 +/- 2.20 dB), 45 GS eyes (MD: -2.43 +/- 2.16 dB), and 62 normal eyes. Retinal nerve fiber layer thickness of each subject was measured using GDx VCC and Humphrey Field Analyzer visual field testing. Measured GDx VCC parameters were compared among groups. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (AROC) curve of each parameter was used to differentiate normal from EG eyes or GS eyes. The correlation between MD and each parameter was also evaluated. RESULTS: For both normal versus EG and normal versus GS, the largest AROC values were for nerve fiber indicator, superior average thickness, and inferior average thickness. There was no significant correlation between MD and GDx-VCC-measured parameters either in EG or GS eyes. CONCLUSIONS: GDx VCC shows only moderate ability to distinguish normal eyes from eyes with early glaucoma. However, its diagnostic role in eyes with suspicious discs and normal visual fields is uncertain at this moment in the Taiwan Chinese population. Further studies are needed to address this issue.     

Coordinated diagnostic approach for adult obstructive lung disease in primary care.

AIMS: To present an age-stratified approach to the diagnosis of obstructive lung disease based on asthma and COPD guidelines and epidemiology. METHODS: Asthma guidelines emphasize the role of the history and physical examination, with pulmonary function used primarily to confirm the diagnosis. COPD guidelines begin with symptoms and risk exposure, presenting spirometry as the primary diagnostic maneuver. Data from the National Health Interview Survey and the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey illustrate relationships in prevalence of asthma and COPD in nationally representative samples. RESULTS: Asthma prevalence in adults declines with age from 5-10% at age 20-40 to 4-8% above age 60. COPD is uncommon in adults under age 40 but increases with age, surpassing asthma in older adults. CONCLUSIONS: These trends suggest that asthma screening is most useful in adults up to age 40, after which COPD screening and differential diagnosis are of comparable or greater utility.     

原发性胆汁性肝硬化伴系统性硬化症的临床特点与预后

背景与目的：原发性胆汁性肝硬化（PBC）伴系统性硬化症（SSc）的预后仍不十分清楚，该研究拟对其临床特点及预后进行评估。方法：从一个含580例患者的PBC数据库中选出43例PBC伴SSc患者，同时为每例PBC—SSc患者匹配2例单纯PBC患者作为对照，监测初次就医时的血清胆红素浓度。结果：局限皮肤型SSc者40例（93％）。诊断PBC时的中位年龄为49．7岁，胆红素浓度为17μmol／L，白蛋白水平为40．5g／L。24例（56％）患者于SSc后在中值为4．9年发生PBC。配对患者诊断PBC时的中位年龄为53．2岁、胆红素浓度为12μmol／L、白蛋白水平为41g／L。两组患者中位随访时间相似：PBC—SSc组为3．16年，单纯PBC组为4．8年。PBC—SSc患者南于较少接受移植手术（HR0．068；P：0．006），在校正性别、年龄、胆红素对数及碱性磷酸酶等因素后，其移植术或死亡风险（HR0．116；P=0．01）均明显降低，同时胆红素上升的比例亦较低（P=0．04）。     

Locomotor strategies before independent walking: prospective study of 50 mentally retarded children.

To investigate the association between pre-walking locomotor strategies and psychomotor developments in children with mental retardation (MR), 50 children with non-specific MR were included in this study. There were 29 boys and 21 girls, 96% of whom had moderate to severe MR. They were followed from 4-53 months to 25-99 months of age, and their follow-up periods ranged from 10 to 48 months (mean 30 months). According to the pre-walking locomotor strategies, these children were categorized into three groups: the crawling group (n = 34) who used crawling or creeping as their main locomotion pattern before independent walking; the shuffling group (n = 9) who used shuffling prior to independent walking; and the direct-walking group (n = 7) who did not have any other locomotor strategies except rolling. In almost all motor developmental milestones, children in the direct-walking group developed earlier than those in the crawling and shuffling groups. Children in the crawling group had more advanced developments than those in the shuffling group. The difference in the mean ratio developmental quotients of the Bayley Mental Scale among the three groups was not significant. The present study showed that crawling may not be a necessary prerequisite for early ambulation or better cognitive function in MR children.     

Electron microscopical demonstration of horseradish peroxidase by use of tetramethylbenzidine as chromogen and sodium tungstate as stabilizer (TMB-ST method): a tracing method with high sensitivity and well preserved ultrastructural tissue.

Until now methods using tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) for electron microscopy (TMB-EM methods) are all unable to provide a maximum demonstration of transported horseradish peroxidase (HRP) while maintaining good ultrastructural tissue preservation. In order to solve this problem, we have attempted to adapt a newly developed, highly sensitive TMB method using sodium tungstate (ST) as the stabilizer (TMB-ST method) for HRP electron microscopic retrograde and anterograde fiber tracing. The present study shows that the TMB-ST method combined with diaminobenzidine-cobalt (DAB-Co) is more sensitive than existing TMB-EM methods and that ultrastructural details are well preserved with this combined method. The resultant reaction product complex after osmication is stable and is observed as characteristic crystal-like structures which are extremely electron dense and often aggregated into clumps. In contrast, the TMB-ST method without the DAB-Co step frequently produces a moderate electron-dense reaction product. Therefore, we recommend the TMB-ST method combined with DAB-Co for HRP electron microscopy.     

Effect of Salvia miltiorrhiza on the left ventricular diastolic function in coronary artery stenosis

In 24 open-chest mongrel dogs, coronary artery critical stenosis were produced by a micrometer constriction on left circumflex coronary artery. It was reduction about 87% in lumen area. CBF, -Vce, -dp/dt max were decreased, T was increased (P less than 0.01). 15 minutes after stenosis, the Salvia miltiorrhiza injection was injected into left atrium. CBF, -dp/dt max, -Vce were increased and T was decreased after the injection of Salvia miltiorrhiza. Moreover, the change of CBF was the earliest. The results proved that the Salvia miltiorrhiza could improve the left ventricular diastolic function in coronary artery stenosis.