Determining the Alveolar Component of Nitric Oxide in Exhaled Air: Procedures and Reference Values for Healthy Persons

Nitric oxide (NO) production has been described using a 2-compartment model for the synthesis and movement of NO in both the alveoli and the airways. The alveolar concentration of NO (Ca_NO), an indirect marker of the inflammatory state of the distal portions of the lung, can be deduced through exhalation at multiple flow rates. Our objective was to determine reference values for Ca_NO. The fraction of exhaled NO (Fe_NO) was measured in 33 healthy individuals at a rate of 50 mL/s; the subjects then exhaled at 10, 30, 100, and 200 mL/s to calculate Ca_NO. A chemiluminescence analyzer (NIOX Aerocrine) was used to perform the measurements. The mean (SD) Fe_NO was 15 (6) ppb. The mean Ca_NO was 3.04 (1.30) ppb. These values of Ca_NO measured in healthy individuals will allow us to analyze alveolar inflammatory behavior in respiratory and systemic processes.     

Kammerautomatie und Vorhofflimmern

Ohne ZusammenfassungHierzu 6 Textfiguren.     

前列腺脓肿2例报告及近10年国内文献复习

目的:结合2例前列腺脓肿病例及文献复习,评估我国前列腺脓肿的新特点。方法:报告2例前列腺脓肿病例,以前列腺脓肿作为关键词或篇名检索中国期刊全文数据库及万方数据数字化期刊全文数据库1997～2006年的资料,进行荟萃分析。结果:2病例既往均无糖尿病史但均有血糖升高,1例发病前曾行下尿路器械检查。2例均表现为显著排便困难,会阴疼痛伴有高热,外周血白细胞均不高,尿常规检查无感染表现。病例1通过MRI确诊,脓肿破溃至尿道经用抗生素痊愈;病例2通过经直肠B超及CT确诊,经直肠B超穿刺引流后治愈。荟萃分析结果表明,糖尿病、留置尿管或尿道器械操作是前列腺脓肿的主要致病因素,致病菌主要是金黄色葡萄球菌和大肠埃希菌,临床表现主要是膀胱刺激症状、排尿困难及会阴疼痛,多数患者经B超确诊,需行穿刺引流或开放手术引流。结论:现阶段前列腺脓肿表现不典型、可疑病例应及时行经直肠B超或CT检查确诊,B超引导下脓肿穿刺引流简便有效。     

亚低温治疗高温高湿环境下重型颅脑损伤的临床护理

目的 探讨亚低温治疗高温高湿环境下重型颅脑损伤的护理方法。方法 高温高湿环境下的重型颅脑损伤患者60例，随机分为亚低温治疗组和对照组。规范护理程序，严密观察病人生命体征变化，采取积极护理措施，减少并发症。结果 亚低温治疗24h后颅内压逐渐下降，脑组织PO2逐渐上升，伤后3个月亚低温治疗组的良好率明显高于对照组（P〈0.05），而死亡率明显低于对照组（P〈0．01）。结论 精心护理有助于改善亚低温治疗的高温高湿环境下重型颅脑损伤病人的预后。     

Oral leiomyosarcomas: report of two cases with immunohistochemical profile.

Leiomyosarcoma of the oral cavity is a very rare tumor associated with aggressive clinical behavior and low survival. In this paper, we report 2 cases of leiomyosarcoma, affecting the gingival mucosa of a 54-year-old female and the maxillary bone of a 63-year-old male. Histologically, the tumors were composed of variably oriented fascicles of spindle-shaped cells with cigar-shaped nuclei and eosinophilic cytoplasm. The lesions were treated by surgical resection. Immunoreactivity to anti-vimentin, anti-smooth muscle actin, anti-desmin, anti-laminin, and anti-muscle-specific actin antibodies were found; conversely, the tumor cells were negative for anti-S100 and AE1/AE3 proteins. This report emphasizes the role of immunohistochemical study for correct diagnosis of leiomyosarcoma.     

Type 2 diabetes: assessment of endothelial lesion and fibrinolytic system markers.

This study aimed to investigate whether endothelial cells are damaged and to evaluate fibrinolytic system function in patients with type 2 diabetes. For this proposal, plasma levels of von Willebrand factor (an endothelial marker of injury), homocysteine (an inductor of endothelial injury), D-dimer (a marker of coagulation cascade activation) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (a fibrinolysis marker) were measured in individuals with both type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure, with type 2 diabetes, with high blood pressure and in healthy control individuals. No significant differences among groups were observed for von Willebrand factor and homocysteine plasma levels. The type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure group presented a significant difference to the other groups for D-dimer and also presented high values for plasminogen activator inhibitor-1. The high blood pressure group and type 2 diabetes group presented separately higher values of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 compared with the control group. High levels of D-dimer and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 in patients with type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure with normoalbuminuria therefore indicate a state of hypercoagulability and hypofibrinolysis, despite no evident microvascular injury supported by normal levels of von Willebrand factor and homocysteine.     

Primary Radiotherapy of Stage IIA/B–IIIB Cervical Carcinoma

BACKGROUND: Comprehensive literature on cervical cancer demonstrates, even today, the need for optimization of the timing of external-beam radiotherapy (EBRT) and high-dose-rate brachytherapy (HDR-BT) in the treatment of stage IIA/B-IIIB cervical carcinoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 210 patients with carcinoma of the cervix were treated in the Municipal Center of Oncoradiology between January 1991 and December 1996 (FIGO IIA: n = 10, FIGO IIB: n = 113, and FIGO IIIB: n = 87). Two regimens were compared: sequential radiation therapy (SRT) with 4 x 8 Gy HDR-BT to point A followed by EBRT, and continuous radiation therapy (CRT) in which 5 x 6 Gy HDR-BT to point A, one session per week, was integrated into the EBRT. A total dose of 68-70 Gy to point A and 52-54 Gy to point B was given in EBRT with SRT, five fractions per week were applied. Four fractions per week were applied in CRT, i. e., no EBRT was performed on the day of HDR-BT. Total doses to points A and B were identical in both regimens. Overall treatment time (OTT) amounted to 56 days for SRT and 35 days for CRT. Median follow-up time was 3.4 (2.5-4.2) years. RESULTS: Progression-free 5-year-survival (PFS) was 71% in the CRT and 56% in the SRT group. Nevertheless, this difference was not statistically significant (p = 1.00), and the same was found in a subgroup analysis of the different tumor stages, showing, however, an unequivocal trend. Late bladder and rectal injuries occurred in 13% and 25%, respectively. Late rectal injuries were significantly more frequent with SRT than CRT (35 patients in the SRT and 18 patients in the CRT group; p = 0.037). This was due to the higher doses per fraction of HDR-BT in the SRT group. No difference was found regarding late bladder injuries (p = 0.837). CONCLUSION: For the patients included in this study, no advantage has been found so far in using CRT, i. e., shortening the OTT by weekly integration of HDR-BT into EBRT. Nevertheless, an obvious trend exists. The dose of 8 Gy per fraction of HDR-BT in the SRT regimen was obviously too high. To achieve a significant improvement in local control and disease-free survival (DFS) as well as overall survival (OS), the combination with modern chemotherapy regimens and regional deep hyperthermia may rather be the treatment option.     

大鼠脑干缺血模型制备及早期超微结构观察

目的:制备脑干缺血动物模型并观察大鼠脑干缺血后早期组织学病理的超微结构。方法:应用两点电凝基底动脉的方法制作鼠脑干缺血动物模型。结果:病理学观察发现脑干缺血2小时即可出现超早期病理变化,并随时间的延长缺血性损害逐渐加重。结论:两点电凝基底动脉后可以造成稳定的脑干缺血,对急性脑干缺血的病理学研究有一定的价值。