Biomechanical evaluation of spinal stability after disc injury in a porcine model

The biomechanical effects of disc injury on flexion-extension were investigated in nine fresh porcine functional spinal units. Under 12 N-m in extension and 6 N-m in flexion, the range of motion among intact specimens were 23.11 degrees -33.29 degrees (mean = 26.07 degrees , SD = 3.25 degrees ), which shifted to 28.04 degrees -38.46 degrees (mean = 31.69 degrees , SD = 3.50 degrees ) when discs were injured. Similarly, the neutral zones among intact and disc injured specimens were 4.88 degrees -12.75 degrees (mean = 9.32 degrees , SD = 2.60 degrees ) and 9.50 degrees -24.43 degrees (mean = 16.80 degrees , SD = 4.69 degrees ) respectively. To obviate the differences between tested specimens, the changes of neutral zone and the range of motion after disc injury were normalized and expressed as ratios as compared to the same items before disc injury. The neutral zone ratio ranged from 1.29 to 3.18 (mean = 1.87, SD = 0.55, p < 0.01). For range of motion, it ranged from 1.13 to 1.42 (mean = 1.22, SD = 0.09, p < 0.01). The change of flexibility coefficient, however, was statistically insignificant in either flexion or extension. The model presented defines the range of motion, the neutral zone as well as the flexibility coefficient under a specific load. It suggests that major spinal instability can be elicited by a minimum flexion-extension moment, as reflected by a profound change of the neutral zone, after disc injury.     

Liver transplantation in Taiwan: the Chang Gung experience

Between March 1984 and February 1991, six orthotopic liver transplantations were performed at the Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Taiwan. The indications for transplantation were Wilson's disease (5 patients) and biliary atresia (1 patient). Donors and recipients were matched only for size and ABO blood group compatibility, and the recipient operations were performed without the use of a venovenous bypass. Arterial reconstruction was carried out by end-to-end hepatic artery anastomosis (4), thoracic aortic conduit (1), or interposition of an iliac artery graft (1), whereas biliary reconstruction was accomplished by a choledochocholedochostomy using a T-tube stent (4) or a choledochocholedochostomy using an external cholecystostomy without stenting (2). Biliary complications occurred in three patients, and all required additional surgery. The average duration of donor-liver cold ischemia, operating time, and blood loss during surgery were 7 h and 50 min (range, 4.5–9 h), 13.5 h (range, 11.8–17h), and 4,385 ml (range, 750–12,000 ml) respectively. The immunosuppressive regimens included a cyclosporinsteroid combination (n=2) and a triple-drug combination (n=4). All except one of the surviving patients experienced at least one rejection episode that was reversed by a methyl-prednisolone bolus and/or recycle. One patient developed a primary cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection that responded well to Ganciclovir treatment. Two of the patients died, one of injuries sustained in a traffic accident 3 years after transplantation, and the other of massive upper gastrointestinal bleeding. The overall survival value at 3 months was 83%, and the follow-up period ranged from 3 months to 7 years. All of the survivors have achieved complete rehabilitation and currently enjoy an excellent quality of life with normal liver function. Althought the present study involved a small number of cases, our results indicate that liver transplantation can be successfully achieved in a high proportion of patients with acceptable morbidity, mortality, and cost in an Asian setting. The extreme shortage of donor organs is currently the most important obstacle limiting the application of liver transplantation in Taiwan.Presented at The Second International Symposium on Treatment of Liver Cancer. Taipei, 3–4 February 1991     

Ethanol enhances immunosuppression induced by cocaine.

Use of cocaine concurrently with alcohol is prevalent among cocaine addicts. Cocaine has been shown to inhibit phytohemagglutinin- and ConA-induced proliferation of T-lymphocytes, NK cell cytotoxicity, and phagocytic activity of peritoneal macrophages. In some studies no effects of cocaine on the immune response have been observed, although on the contrary, others show it increased the NK cell activity and serum antibody response to T-dependent antigen. Effects of cocaine on the immune system may be mediated by its neurostimulatory action on the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis. ACTH, beta-endorphine, and corticosterone released under the action of cocaine exert various inhibitory effects on the immune function. We studied the immunotoxic effect of cocaine, combination of cocaine with ethanol, and cocaethylene, a derivative formed from cocaine and ethanol in the body, on the mitogen-stimulated production of cytokines by splenocytes. C57BL mice were injected twice daily with 20 mg/kg cocaine or equivalent dose of cocaethylene and received a liquid Lieber-DeCarli diet containing ethanol (26% of total calories) or isocaloric amount of maltose-dextrin. After 3 weeks of treatment, cocaine and cocaethylene caused a significant decrease of the spleen weight and total number of splenocytes. In splenocytes isolated from the cocaine- or cocaethylene-treated mice, mitogen-stimulated production of gamma-interferon, tumor necrosis factor, and interleukin-2 was suppressed, in all cases more severely when cocaethylene was used. Thus, formation of cocaethylene during simultaneous consumption of cocaine and ethanol may enhance the immunotoxicity of cocaine.     

多发性肌炎与皮肌炎(附25例报告)

多发性肌炎与皮肌炎25例,其中多发性肌炎21例,皮肌炎2例,多发性肌炎或皮肌炎伴发恶性肿瘤2例。从临床表现、生化检查、肌电图及肌肉活检等方面进行分析,提出多发性肌炎与皮肌炎的诊断条件。本组均采用皮质类固醇治疗,5例合并免疫抑制剂治疗,其中临床治愈4例,显著好转10例,好转5例,无效2例,死亡4例。     

The effect of Coptis chinensis on lipid peroxidation and antioxidases activity in rats]

In order to make a systematic study of the effect of Coptis chinensis on free radicals, the authors used the method that the drug and the brain homogenate of rat were mixed and incubated to investigate the effect of Coptis on lipid peroxidation. The result showed that the malondialdehyde (MDA) product of rat brain homogenate inhibited by 5% Coptis was significantly different from control (P < 0.001). On the basis of the above-mentioned results, the effect of Coptis on lipid peroxidation and diabetes of rats induced by alloxan was investigated. The result showed: (1) The MDA product of both pancreas and liver homogenate in Coptis group was significantly less than that in control and alloxan group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). (2) Superoxide dismutases (SODs) in erythrocytes activity was the same for all groups (P > 0.50). (3) The blood catalase (CAT) activity in alloxan group markedly decreased compared with control group (P < 0.05), but no significant change between Coptis and alloxan group (P > 0.05). (4) The value of serum glucose in alloxan group was significantly increased in comparing with control group (P < 0.05). There was a trend to decrease the value of serum glucose in Coptis group compared with alloxan group, but no significant difference between two groups (P > 0.05). The experiment indicated that there was very strong inhibitory effect of Coptis to the lipid peroxidation in vitro and in vivo. Coptis could protect rat from diabetes inducing by alloxan and that probably was due to the fact that Coptis was able to inhibit alloxan inducing free radicals.     

诺氟沙星的吸附伏安法研究

在ｐＨ＝７．４９氨－氯化铵缓冲液中，诺氟沙星在滴汞电极上产生一灵敏的还原峰，峰电位为－１．５２Ｖ（ｖｓ．ＳＣＥ）。在１．９８×１０（－７）～４．８８×１０（－６）ｍｏｌ／Ｌ之间有良好的线性关系。本文对其极谱性质和电极过程进行了研究，用于诺氟沙星的测定，方法简便，结果准确、可靠。     

Immunization strategies for the production of rat monoclonal anti-idiotope antibodies

Anti-idiotypic antibodies are powerful reagents for the study of immunoregulation, and have potential interest as vaccines against tumors and infectious diseases. Three immunization strategies for the production of rat monoclonal anti-idiotope antibodies have been compared in this paper. Male Wistar rats were immunized i.p. and at multiple subcutaneous sites with 750 micrograms of purified monoclonal antibody against Plasmodium falciparum for three times and subsequently boosted by (1) intraperitoneal injection with 750 micrograms of the immunogen, (2) intravenous inoculation with 400 micrograms of the IgG, and (3) intrasplenic immunization with 200 micrograms of the idiotype. With the intraperitoneal boost method, the frequency of hybrids with anti-idiotope activity was 0.3-0.9% with 62.8-85.2% of the seeded wells containing hybrids. In the intravenous boost group, the percentage of hybrids demonstrating anti-idiotope activity increased to 11.0-13.3% with 80.2-97.9% of the hybrid efficiency. When immunized by the intrasplenic boost route, the frequency of anti-idiotope hybrids generated rose to 12.9-16.4% with 82.3-96.6% of the hybrid efficiency. There was no obvious effect of the boost immunizing methods on the generation of rat monoclonal anti-mouse IgG antibodies. These results indicated that the multiple-site immunization followed by intravenous or intrasplenic boost injection was an appropriate immunizing method for the production of monoclonal anti-idiotope antibodies.     

人抗HBsAg噬菌体抗体Fab段基因的序列分析及表达

对已建的噬菌体抗体库分离出来的人抗－ＨＢｓ克隆进行了序列分析和表达研究，发现４个克隆中３个克隆的重链和轻链完全相同，ＤＮＡ序列分析表明ＶＨ分别属于ＶＨ１亚群和Ⅱ亚群，其轻链ＶＬ分别属于ＶλⅡ亚群和ＶλⅠ亚群。构建了可溶性Ｆａｂ段表达载体，显示出在细菌中表达的Ｆａｂ段抗体与ＨＢｓＡｇ特异性结合，这说明所筛选出来的噬菌体抗体具有ＨＢdisplay status     

农村贫困地区脑卒中危险因素及经济负担的病例对照研究

目的 研究农村贫困地区脑卒中危险因素及经济负担。方法 采用病例对照研究，在辽宁省彰武县农村选取脑卒中患者和对照农民各102人，进行问卷调查。结果 脑卒中的危险因素在彰武县农村农民中流行率较高，吸烟、饮酒、喝茶的比例分别达73．1％、64．7％、79．4％以上。很少吃水果、蛋类和动物性蛋白质者分别为61．8％、56．9％、61．8％以上。每人每天食盐和猪油摄入量分别为22．2g和31．3g，具有高血压和高血脂患病意识者仅为19．6％和20．6％。脑卒中患者中高血压家族史、饮酒、超重、低动物蛋白摄人率分别为31．4％、76．5％、23．5％和75．5％，显著高于对照组。脑卒中组人均年纯收人为。704．9元，对照组为959．4元，脑卒中患者医疗费用年平均为3120．6元。最多者每年医疗费用高达39000元，远远超出了其家庭纯收入。结论 高血压、饮酒、超重、低蛋白摄人、吸烟、高盐和高脂肪摄入可能是脑卒中的危险因素，脑卒中患病使患者家庭背负了沉重的经济负担。     

某医科大学中老年教职工健康状况分析

对１００４名５０岁以上中老年教职工进行健康检查。结果：健康者仅占１１．２５％，而８８．７５％的中老年教职工至少患有１例次疾病，最多患有５例次疾病，总例次患病率为１８６．９５％，男女例次患病率分别为１８７．２４％和１８６．６２％，男女间无差异。前５位疾病的顺位是：心血管疾病、呼吸系疾病、脑血管疾病、消化系统病、泌尿生殖疾病。