The 'market' for medical and health information in transition: the case of the Hong Kong Hospital Authority libraries

The last few years have been a period of transition not only for hospitals and their governance but also for post-graduate medical education in Hong Kong. Both trends have a direct impact on the information market place. This article starts by studying the provision of medical and health-related information in Hong Kong. The two university medical and dental libraries, together with the hospital and health sciences libraries in government hospitals and the Department of Health, house the major collections on medicine and health care. The demand for medical and health care information is increasingly felt with the takeover of 39 hospitals by the statutory Hong Kong Hospital Authority in 1991. The major problems and issues in planning for library information services are the historically uneven development of libraries, discrepancies in funding, the changes in organizational and management structure, and the competition with higher development priorities within the organization. In view of current technology and the availability of rich external resources, the adopted strategies tend towards the formation of 10 library service networks, development of integrated library information systems on the Health Authority-wide area network, and the devolution of management responsibilities. The future challenges in store for the information professional are examined.     

Inhibition of growth of B16 murine malignant melanoma by exogenous interferon

We previously reported that polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid, a potent interferon inducer, inhibits the growth of B16 malignant melanoma in the C57BL/6 mouse. Two experiments were done to evaluate the effectiveness of interferon in tumor inhibition in vivo. In the first, mice were implanted with melanoma and divided into four groups, according to treatment: interferon preparation; interferon control preparation ("breakthrough fraction"); phosphate-buffered saline control; and murine serum albumin control. Daily, each mouse was given i.p. injections of 200,000 NIH reference units (hereafter called units) of interferon or of one of the control substances. The second experiment was similar to the first, except that bovine serum albumin was an additional control. In both experiments, the average tumor volume in interferon-treated mice was statistically significantly smaller than that of each control group. Mouse interferon preparations also inhibited the multiplication of B16 malignant melanoma cells in culture. This inhibition was statistically significant from interferon levels as low as 5 to as high as 5000 units/ml. The degree of inhibition markedly increased from 5 up to 500 units, the inhibition reaching its maximum at this concentration. The inhibitory effect of interferon was abrogated by anti-murine interferon serum produced in a rabbit. These findings suggest that the in vivo inhibition of the growth of B16 melanoma demonstrated with polyinosinicpolycytidylic acid and with exogenous interferon probably results, at least in part, from a direct effect of interferon on the tumor cells themselves.     

Mutagenic, transforming and promoting effect of pickled vegetables from Linxian county, China

A recent epidemiological survey in China showed that there is a regional distribution of esophageal cancer and a correlation between mortality for this cancer and environmental factors, especially the consumption of pickled vegetables. A series of experimental studies with pickled vegetable extract were done using different in vitro biological systems. The results showed that pickled vegetable extract induced 6-thioguanine-resistant mutants in V79 cells and increased sister chromatid exchanges in the same cells and in Syrian hamster embryo cells. Pickled vegetables extract induced transformed foci in Syrian hamster embryo cells and in 3-methylcholanthrene initiated C3H/10T1/2 cells. The mutagenic, transforming and promoting activities of pickled vegetable extract seen in vitro conform with in vivo results and provide evidence for the presence of a mutagen and/or a carcinogen in pickled vegetable extract. A possible role of pickled vegetables consumption in the etiology of esophageal cancer is discussed.     

Studies on the luminescence of channels in rats and its law of changes with "syndromes" and treatment of acupuncture and moxibustion.

We previously reported the discovery of 14 channels in the human body, which possessed the biophysical property of high emission of light. In this study we found the same property on the Ren and Du channels in healthy rats. Additionally, we discovered that the luminance of the related channels in rat models with different "syndromes" varied greatly. For instance, a markedly low luminance appeared on the Du channel in animals with experimental syndrome of Yang deficiency induced by hydrocortisone; while in animals with experimental syndrome of blood deficiency caused by bleeding, an apparently low luminance occurred on the Ren channel. The intensity of the emitted light on Du and Ren channels increased after acupuncture treatment, but not significantly. This phenomenon conforms to the theory in traditional Chinese medicine that the Du channel is the "sea of Yang channels", while the Ren channel is the "sea of Yin channels".     

Initial results of laser angioplasty under angioscopic guidance for salvage of an ischemic lower limb: preliminary report

From March to July 1989, nine patients at risk for peripheral artery disease underwent intraoperative Nd:YAG laser angioplasty using angioscopy at the Veterans General Hospital (Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China). Following the laser angioplasty, balloon dilatation was performed in all cases. Eight men and one woman at an average age of 68 were included in the study (range: 58 to 78 years old). Ischemic symptoms included five patients with disabling claudication, four with pain at rest and one with gangrene on the toes. Eight of the nine patients had complete occlusions ranging from 2 to 19 cm in length. Two patients had high degree multiple segmental stenosis of the superficial femoral artery from 1 to 2 cm in length. Initial clinical success (indicated by relief of symptoms and increase in Doppler ankle pressure and index) and improvement in the angiographic luminal diameter was noted in 9 of 10 occluded vessels (90%) that underwent Nd:YAG laser treatment which was delivered at 10 to 12 watts through laser probes. Prelaser intraluminal diameter increased from 0.05 +/- 0.07 to 0.53 +/- 0.07 mm, Doppler ankle pressure index rose from 0.51 +/- 0.12 to 0.81 +/- 0.12, Doppler ankle pressure increased from 62.44 +/- 16.10 to 104 +/- 21.21 mmHg and the amplitude of pulse volume recorder at ankle level rose from 5.77 +/- 2.80 to 12.11 +/- 2.77 mm as compared with prelaser therapy (P less than 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Scintigraphy and distribution of labeled antibodies in rats with tumors

Radioiodinated antitumor (Ab-gamma globulins), non-tumor-specific Ab, and R¹³¹ISA were used for imaging radiation-induced intestinal tumors in rats. Each agent detected tumors larger than 2 g, but labeled Ab were most efficient in detecting smaller tumors. Tissue distribution studies showed that while purified Ab localized specifically in tumors, unpurified Ab concentrated in the tumor by a mechanism not considered immunological. Localization was variable and the concentration of antitumor Ab reached useful levels only in a small number of cases. The use of high specific activity purified Ab unexpectedly decreased the concentrations of label observed in the tumors when compared with the use of the same activity of low specific activity purified Ab. These results indicated the presence of circulating tumor antigens which were capable of binding the injected Ab. Subsequently, these findings have been substantiated. Thus the animal-to-animal variability could be explained on the basis of differing degrees of interaction of injected Ab with circulating tumor antigens. The usefulness of labeled purified or monospecific antitumor antibodies for tumor imaging and therapy would thus be influenced by the extent of such interactions.This work was presented in part at the Twentieth Annual Meeting of the Radiation Research Society, Portland, Oregon, May, 1972.     

Antileukemic activity of substituted ureidothiazoles, ureidothiadiazoles, and related compounds.

A number of ureidothiazole and ureidothiadiazole derivatives related to ethyl 4-[[(2-thiazolylamino)carbonyl]-amino]benzoate were prepared and evaluated against the leukemia P-388 tumor system in mice. Preliminary structure-activity relationship study revealed that, among other considerations, active compounds of this series contain either an "isothioureido" [N-C(S-)=N-] or an "isothiosemicarbazono" [N-C(S-)=N-N=] structural unit.     

神农心脑康胶囊的研制及临床应用

目的：研究神农心脑康胶囊的制备和质量标准，观察临床治疗冠心病心绞痛的治疗效果。方法：用薄层色谱鉴别麝香、银杏、川芎、淫羊藿的成分，单盲临床观察40例冠心病心绞痛的患者并确定其临床治疗冠心病心绞痛的疗效标准。结果：薄层扫描法可用于鉴别其主药；经临床观察冠心病心绞痛患者，其总有效率达87．5％。结论：制备工艺合理，所得制剂质量可控，治疗冠心病心绞痛疗效显著，且无任何不良反应。     

用群体药代动力学预测癫痫儿童丙戊酸钠血药浓度

目的 用群体药代动力(PPK)模型和贝叶斯法预测血药浓度。方法 用癫痫儿童丙戊酸钠PPK模型和USC~*PACK软件中的贝叶斯程序,对100例新癫痫患儿丙戊酸钠的血药浓度进行预测。将预测值与实测值做配对t检验,相关和回归分析,计算平均预测误差、预测误差的百分比、不同预测误差百分比的符合率及其95％可信区间、构成比和评价预测的准确程度。结果 预测值与实测值的相关系数为0.99,P<0.001,线性回归Y_(OBS)=0.99)Y_(PRED),决定系数为0.98,P<0.001;平均预测误差为-0.43μg·mL~(-1),预测误差百分比分别为5％,10％,15％,20％,25％,30％的符合率为62％,74％,82％,85％,89％,93％。结论 PPK模型和贝叶斯法可准确预测丙戊酸钠稳态血药浓度。