肾交感神经刺激对全身交感神经系统的影响

目的：评价肾交感神经刺激(Renal sympathetic nerves stimulation,RSNS)对全身交感神经系统的影响。方法12只成年杂种犬随机分为两组：假手术组(Sham组,n=6)和肾交感神经刺激组(RSNS组,n=6)。RSNS组经左肾动脉外膜给予持续2 h高频电刺激,刺激参数：频率20 Hz,脉宽0.1 ms,刺激强度随血压进行调整,以保持血压较刺激前升高10%;假手术组在左肾动脉附近寻找一处体表皮肤给予以同样2 h高频电刺激。分别于基础状态和2 h刺激末检测血压(BP)、心率(HR)、心率变异性(HRV)和血清去甲肾上腺素（NE）浓度。结果与基础状态比较,Sham组成年杂种犬2 h末BR、HR、交感神经活性和血清去甲肾上腺素浓度比较差异均无统计学意义(P>0.05)。与基础状态比较,RSNS可以明显提高成年杂种犬BR、交感神经活性和血清去甲肾上腺素浓度,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论肾交感神经刺激可以明显提高全身交感神经系统活性。     

复杂性尿道狭窄及并发症诊治的实验研究与临床运用

复杂性尿道狭窄或闭锁的处理一直是泌尿外科最棘手的难题之一,尤其是对初次或再次治疗失败后的复杂性超长段尿道狭窄或闭锁(＞ 14 cm)患者的治疗,作者在治疗复杂性尿道狭窄及其并发症中取得了一系列的原创性成果.与国内外的同类研究比较,主要有以下发现和创新点.①在国际上首次提出并证实结肠黏膜可作为尿道替代物;临床治疗55例超长段尿道狭窄(平均15.2 cm)的结果提示结肠黏膜具有材源丰富、易于剥离、抗感染力强、皱缩率低等优点,适于14 cm以上尿道的重建,尤其是多次治疗失败的复杂性超长段尿道狭窄.②在国际上首次建立新型分期手术治疗复杂性超长段狭窄或闭锁,临床应用11例,疗效显著,为难治性前后尿道间长段狭窄或闭锁提供了一个新的思路.③在国际上首次阐述舌黏膜尿道重建的病理学特征及转归,建立大面积舌黏膜取材新技术;在国内率先开展舌黏膜尿道成形术,样本量为国内外最大.④在国际上首次建立了尿道压客观量化指标(90 cmH2O或较基础压提高40 ～50 cmH2O),用于评估球部尿道悬吊术中尿道压力.从而提高了手术成功率,减少了并发症,取得了显著治疗效果.该系列研究成果先后获省部科技进步一等奖和多项二等奖.     

Malaria control in Malawi: Current status and directions for the future

The last decade has seen an increase in investment and concerted efforts by the Malawi Ministry of Health and partners to control malaria disease. This report summarizes what is known about the burden of malaria and the strategies being implemented to control it in Malawi. Over the past 5 years, roll out of treatment and prevention efforts have been successful in the country, as demonstrated by increased use of insecticide treated nets, improved access to prompt and effective treatment and the initiation of pilot studies of indoor residual spraying. However, unlike other countries in the region, the recent data have not suggested a decrease in the burden of disease. We describe the environment in which the activities of Malawi's International Center for Excellence in Malaria Research (ICEMR) will be carried out and provide the rationale for the clinical, entomological and molecular studies. Our approach is to establish consistent, stainable data collection systems that are embedded within the public health sector. Through standardized and long-term studies of hosts, parasites and vectors, we hope to contribute to assessment of malaria disease burden, the appropriate application of interventions and policies and provide both the data collection and the health care infrastructure to ultimately eliminate the disease.     

A Biomechanical Foot-Worn Device Improves Total Knee Arthroplasty Outcomes

Background

Biomechanics after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) often remain abnormal and may lead to prolonged postoperative recovery. The purpose of this study is to assess a biomechanical therapy after TKA.

Hematospermia—the added value of transrectal ultrasound to clinical evaluation: Is transrectal ultrasound necessary for evaluation of hematospermia?

Hematospermia is usually caused by nonspecific inflammation of the prostate and seminal vesicles. Transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) is a safe and inexpensive modality for evaluating patients with hematospermia. The aim of this study is to describe the findings of TRUS and its contribution to patients' management.A total of 115 consecutive patients presented with hematospermia and evaluated with TRUS between 2006 and 2012.All patients exhibited an abnormality in the TRUS examination. A 12-core TRUS-guided biopsy of the prostate was taken from 10 patients, but none of these samples were positive for tumor.In the vast majority of cases, a benign cause can be identified using TRUS. These causes usually do not require treatment.     

Treatment of hot flashes with transdermal estradiol administration

A randomized prospective double blind study was performed to assess the ability of a transdermal therapeutic system (TTS) delivering estradiol (E2) to suppress hot flashes (HFs) in symptomatic postmenopausal women. Patients were given placebo or E2 in four doses for a 20-day period, and serum gonadotropin and estrogen levels and the occurrences of HFs were measured. Administration of placebo had no measurable effect on either estrogen or gonadotropin levels or the occurrence of HFs. A dose-response relationship was found between the rate of E2 administered and the circulating level of E2, with 25, 50, 100, and 200 micrograms/24 h dosages raising the mean E2 concentrations from mean baseline levels of 5-8 pg/ml to 18, 38, 73, and 100 pg/ml, respectively. Estrone levels also increased with TTS application, but to a lesser extent than did E2 levels. Dose-response reductions of FSH and LH with increasing amounts of E2 administration occurred, but gonadotropin levels were not lowered in any of the patients into the ranges found in premenopausal women. TTS application significantly suppressed the occurrence of HFs at the 50 micrograms/24 h dosage and higher. A significant negative correlation (r = 0.6045; P less than 0.001) between E2 levels and the rates of occurrence of HFs was found during hormone administration. Based on this regression, 50% and 100% reductions of HFs should occur at 61 and 122 pg/ml E2. These data indicate that the transdermal delivery of E2 with these systems significantly reduced the occurrence of HFs and allowed definition of the therapeutic range of hormone replacement in terms of lost ovarian function, as reflected by circulating E2 levels.     

Dissociation between sleep-related and TRH-induced prolactin secretion in seminiferous tubule failure

Prolactin (PRL) secretion has been measured during sleep and following TRH administration in 8 patients aged 24-39 yr with seminiferous tubule failure and 36 controls. Basal LH levels were 25.7 +/- 14.7 mIU/ml in the patients compared to 11.5 +/- 4.2 mIU/ml in the controls (p less than 0.01) Corresponding FSH levels were 26.2 +/- 10.7 mIU/ml and 5.9 +/- 2.1 mIU/ml (p less than 0.001) Mean estradiol 17B and testosterone levels were similar in the 2 groups. The mean PRL secretion during sleep was 16.5 +/- 11.7 ng/ml in the patients and not different in 11 of the controls (12.4 +/- 3.2 ng/ml). One patient had a mean nocturnal PRL concentration of 44.1 ng/ml. In both groups, the mean sleep related PRL concentration was greater than that during waking hours. The average number of peaks in the 2 groups was similar. In the same patients, the peak PRL response to TRH (200 ug IV) was 81.9 +/- 18.8 ng/ml as compared to 32.1 +/- 10.7 ng/ml in the controls (p less than 0.001). It is concluded that PRL concentrations following pharmacological stimulation are increased in seminiferous tubule failure, whereas levels are normal in relation to the physiological stimulus of sleep.