Closed to reason: time for accountability for the International Narcotic Control Board

For more than two decades, the International Narcotic Control Board (INCB) has tried to stop harm reduction and its HIV prevention programs. This posture is based on a fundamental misunderstanding of their responsibilities and of drug addiction itself – i.e. as a public health and clinical care matter made criminal by decree. A recent focal point for the Board's action has been rejecting the use of supervised injection facilities to reduce morbidity and mortality of drug injectors. They single out individual countries and attempt to bully them into rejecting such programs under the banner of the United Nations (falsely) and in the name of international treaties. Their unrelenting and unjustified badgering of signatories to the international treaties that established the INCB is not only unjustified; it is an affront to one of the core purposes of the Board itself: to ensure adequate medical supplies and safe use of controlled substances. The INCB's ill-conceived obsession with intravenousaddiction as a crime flies in the face of the medical view and policies of the World Health Organization and the universally endorsed principles of the General Assembly of the United Nations.     

睾丸微石症2例报告及文献复习

目的:认识睾丸微石症(TM)的临床意义和诊断方法。方法:回顾性报告2例TM病例的临床资料,结合文献进行讨论。结果:2例分别因左精索静脉曲张和附睾炎就诊的患者行阴囊超声检查时发现睾丸内散在多发点状强回声,如针尖样,1～2mm,后无声影。分别诊断为局部TM、左精索静脉曲张和TM,左附睾炎。甲胎蛋白、人绒毛膜促性腺激素、乳酸脱氢酶和睾酮等检查均正常。对睾丸微石症未做特殊处置,随访6～8个月,体检和睾丸瘤标未见异常,阴囊超声睾丸图像无特征性改变。结论:TM是一种少见、无明显临床症状、相对稳定的疾病。多因阴囊其他疾病行超声检查时偶然发现,其是否属于癌前病变尚有争议,但是定期随访和阴囊超声检查是必要的。     

血管紧张素对增生性瘢痕成纤维细胞纤维连接蛋白合成的影响

目的：探讨血管紧张素Ⅱ（AngⅡ）及其Ⅰ型、Ⅱ型受体阻断剂和钙调神经磷酸激酶（CaN）的阻滞利环胞素A（CsA）对增生性瘢痕来源的成纤维细胞纤维连接蛋白mRNA和蛋白表达的作用。方法：体外分离培养增生性瘢痕成纤维细胞，分别将一定浓度的AngⅡ（10^-9～10^-5mmol／L），和AngⅡ10^-6mmol／L加上不同阻滞剂losartan、PD123319、环胞素A（浓度均为10^-5mmol／L）加入细胞培养液中刺激48h，分别采用逆转录聚合酶链反应（RT—PCR）及Westernblot印迹方法检测增生性瘢痕成纤维细胞纤维连接蛋白（FN）的mRNA及蛋白表达。结果：体外成功地培养增生性瘢痕成纤维细胞。经AngⅡ刺激48h后，FN mRNA和蛋白表达量明显增高，增高程度与AngⅡ浓度呈正比；加入losaartan和环胞素A后，FN原mRNA和蛋白表达量较单用AngⅡ组下降，而加入PD123319后，FNmRNA和蛋白表达量较单用AngⅡ组无明显改变。结论：AngⅡ可促增生性瘢痕成纤维细胞的FN合成，可能在增生性瘢痕的发展过程中起重要作用，该作用主要通过AngⅡ的Ⅰ型受体介导完成，该作用可能与CaN信号通路有关。     

经股动脉导管药盒系统植入术的并发症分析

目的研究经股动脉途径植入导管药盒系统导致并发症的原因,进一步提高其临床应用的价值。方法对76例中晚期恶性肿瘤采用经股动脉途径植入导管药盒系统,定期或不定期经皮经药盒灌注化疗和栓塞,总结其并发症。结果发生并发症13例,发生率为17.1%(13/76)。包括留置导管尖端移位4例,靶动脉闭塞2例,迟发出血2例,留置导管堵塞1例,切口延期愈合1例,药盒外露1例,留置导管与药盒分离1例,靶动脉假性动脉瘤形成1例。结论经皮股动脉途径导管药盒系统植入术的并发症只要处理得当,是可以控制的。本技术不失为一种安全可靠的治疗手段,值得临床应用。     

不同浓度5-溴脱氧尿嘧啶核苷标记山羊骨髓基质干细胞的体外研究

Objective To explore the feasibility of labeling and tracing in vitro goat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) by bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) on the basis of investigation of its optimal concentration, incubating time and cytotoxicity. Methods A healthy goat, aged 10 months old, male, weighing 32 kg, was used in this study. Bone marrow was aspirated. BMSCs were isolated and cultured using the adherence method in vitro. The fourth passage of BMSCs (P4) were incubated with BrdU at 5, 10, 15, 20 μmol/L as 5, 10, 15, 20 μmol/L BMSC groups. Cells were not labeled by BrdU as negative control. The following parameters were measured: induction, differentiation and determination of goat BMSCs; the optimal mass concentration and incubation time of 5-BrdU labeling; cell positive rate at 12, 24, 48 and 72 hours in each group using immunofluoreseenee; the cell survival rate after various concentrations of BrdU ladling by trypan-blue exclusion. Results The morphology of the primary and passage goat BMSCs was fusiform in shape. Goat BMSCs could differentiate into osteoblasts and chondrocytes following induction. BMSC nucleus showed green fluorescence under fluorescence microscope after being labeled by BrdU. The mean labeling rate increased with the increase in the concentration and incubation time of BrdU, and reached to (93.32± 3.25)% after incubation in 15 μmol/L, BrdU for 48 hours. There were no significant differences between 15 μmol/L BrdU for 72 hours, 20 μmol/L BrdU for 48 hours and 72 hours (P > 0.05), or between the other groups or time points (P < 0.05). The labeling rate of the blank control group was 0. The cell survival rate was all above 90% (P > 0.05). Conclusions BrdU can be used as a labeling marker for goat BMSCs. When the concentration is 15 μmol/L and the incubation time is 48 hours, the optimal labeling effect can be achieved. Goat BMSCs labeled with BrdU is of high efficiency and safety.     

Serum levels of specific glucuronidated androgen metabolites predict BMD and prostate volume in elderly men.

Androgens are important regulators of bone and prostate health in elderly men. The role of serum levels of glucuronidated androgen metabolites as predictors of BMD and prostate volume in men is unclear. We show that specific glucuronidated androgen metabolites predict BMD and prostate volume in elderly men. INTRODUCTION: Androgens are important regulators of bone and prostate health in elderly men. Local synthesis and degradation of androgens are likely to be important parameters of biological action of androgens in androgen-responsive tissues. The aim of this study was to determine the role of serum levels of glucuronidated androgen metabolites as predictors of BMD and prostate volume in elderly men. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A subsample of the population-based Swedish part of the MrOS study (n = 631, average age = 75.9 years) was investigated. Bone parameters were measured using DXA. Serum levels of total testosterone (T) and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) were measured by gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (GC-MS); androstane-3alpha,17beta-diol-3glucuronide (3G) and androstane-3alpha,17beta-diol-17glucuronide (17G) were measured by liquid chromatography/mass spectroscopy. Prostate volume (n = 159) was measured by transrectal ultrasound. RESULTS: The general pattern is that two of the glucuronidated androgen metabolites, namely 17G and 3G, are stronger positive predictors of BMD than the bioactive androgens (T and DHT). In addition, 17G is a clear positive predictor of prostate volume, explaining 4.5% of the variance in prostate volume, whereas the bioactive androgens do not display any association with prostate volume. CONCLUSIONS: Serum levels of specific glucuronidated androgen metabolites predict BMD and prostate volume in elderly men. Future studies should determine if the glucuronidated androgen metabolites also reflect other biological correlates of androgenic activity, including prostate cancer, and if low levels might be a marker of general androgen deficiency in men.     

Cognitive and neuroimaging predictors of instrumental activities of daily living.

Impaired ability to conduct daily activities is a diagnostic criterion for dementia and a determinant of healthcare services utilization and caregiver burden. What predicts decline in instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) is not well understood. This study examined measures of episodic memory, executive function, and MRI brain volumes in relation to baseline IADLs and as predictors of rate of IADL change. Participants were 124 elderly persons with cognitive function between normal and moderate dementia both with and without significant small vessel cerebrovascular disease. Random effects modeling showed that baseline memory and executive function (EXEC) were associated with baseline IADL scores, but only EXEC was independently associated with rate of change in IADLs. Whereas hippocampal and cortical gray matter volumes were significantly associated with baseline IADL scores, only hippocampal volume was associated with IADL change. In a model including cognitive and neuroimaging predictors, only EXEC independently predicted rate of decline in IADL scores. These findings indicate that greater executive dysfunction at initial assessment is associated with more rapid decline in IADLs. Perhaps executive function is particularly important with respect to maintaining IADLs. Alternatively, executive dysfunction may be a sentinel event indicating widespread cortical involvement and poor prognosis.     

肱骨干骨折--髓内钉与钢板固定的比较

总体而言，这些报道提示：采用髓内钉治疗肱骨干骨折较采用钢板带来更多的并发症，尤其是采用顺行人路。同时，这些报道没有提供确切的证据证明何种方法在骨折愈合、减少感染或上肢总体功能上优于另一种。     

胃癌根治术中肝动脉变异及意义

目的介绍胃癌根治术时发现肝动脉变异情况。方法回顾性分析208例胃癌根治术时遭遇的肝动脉变异情况。结果208例中发现肝动脉变异3例,术中游离时注意保留肝脏、胆囊的血供分支。结论胃癌根治术时应注意肝动脉变异可能,避免损伤邻近器官的血供。     

乳房体积生物立体测量系统的研制

目的　利用立体视觉方法建立乳房体积测量系统 ,并探讨其准确性和精确程度。方法　通过采用两台CCD摄相机从两个不同视角观察乳房模型 ,运用激光投射仪和光栅获得计算机能识别的平行采样点 ,依靠计算机图像处理技术和生物立体测量技术 ,求取乳房模型表面采样点的三维坐标 ,设计乳房体积测量运算模式 ,在Windows下编制程序 ,建立乳房体积测量和分析系统 ,应用所建的测量系统和水体积置换术分别对 12例乳房模型进行体积测量 ,并将两种测量方法及其结果进行比较和统计分析 ,观察其精确性和准确性。结果　本系统测量乳房体积实现了数据的快速处理 ,测试空间范围为12 0mm× 14 0mm× 80mm ,特点是快速、非接触性和非侵入性。与水体积置换方法比较 ,P =0 .4 73>0 .0 5 ,差值的 95 %可信区间为 - 14 .0 2～ 7.0 8ml。结论　本系统可应用于乳房体积测量 ,简捷而且精确 ,为临床工作提供了一种有效手段 ,并为软组织形态分析的开展提供了一种新的理论基础。