Do sensory neurons mediate adaptive cytoprotection of gastric mucosa against bile acid injury?

Pretreatment with the mild irritant 1 mmol acidified taurocholate protects the gastric mucosa from the injury induced by the subsequent application of 5 mmol acidified taurocholate, a phenomenon referred to as "adaptive cytoprotection." How this occurs remains an enigma. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of sensory neurons and mucus secretion in this phenomenon. Prior to injury with 5 mmol acidified taurocholate (pH 1.2), the stomachs of six groups of rats were subjected to the following protocol. Two groups were topically pretreated with either saline or the mild irritant 1 mmol acidified taurocholate. Two other groups received the topical anesthetic 1% lidocaine prior to pretreatment with either saline or 1 mmol acidified taurocholate. The last two groups got the mucolytic agent 10% N-acetylcysteine (NAC) after pretreatment with either saline or 1 mmol acidified taurocholate. Injury was assessed by measuring net transmucosal ion fluxes, luminal appearance of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), and gross and histologic injury. Pretreatment with the mild irritant 1 mmol acidified taurocholate significantly decreased bile acid-induced luminal ion fluxes and DNA accumulation, suggesting mucosal protection (corroborated by gross and histologic injury analysis). This effect was negated by lidocaine but not by NAC. Thus, it appears that sensory neurons, and not increased mucus secretion, play a critical role in adaptive cytoprotection.     

Using neural networks to diagnose cancer

While artificial brains are in the realm of science fiction, artificial neural networks (ANNs) are scientific facts. An artificial neural network is a computational structure modeled somewhat on the neural structure of the brain; both have many highly interconnected processing elements. These biologically inspired processing elements are taught by feeding examples until the results are acceptable. In the past 5 years, neural networks have become successful in providing meaningful second opinions in clinical diagnosis. In our research, a prototype artificial neural network was trained on numeral ultrasound data of 52 actual cases and then correctly identified renal cell carcinoma from renal cysts and other conditions without diagnostic errors. Our nonlinear artificial neural network was trained on software using the standard backpropagation paradigm on a 80386 microcomputer. Our ANN learned from ultrasound data in 52 cases (17 malignant, 30 cysts, and 5 other) at a Memphis hospital. The trained prototype performed without error on 47 cases which were not in the data used for training. This prototype must be validated by extending this study to more cases.     

Fatal meningoencephalitis due to Bacillus anthracis

Abstract: We report the first case of fatal anthrax meningoencephalitis in Hong Kong over the past 60 years. A 13 year-old boy presented with right lower quadrant pain, diarrhoea and progressive headache. Lumbar puncture yielded gram positive bacilli initially thought to be Bacillus cereus, a contaminant. He was treated with ampicillin and cefotaxime, but died 3 days after hospitalization. The organism isolated from blood and cerebrospinal fluid was later identified as Bacillus anthracis.     

Survival and developmental disability in infants with birth weights of 501 to 800 grams, born between 1979 and 1994

OBJECTIVE: Because the survival rate has increased for extremely low birth weight neonates, many have raised the concern that the rate of developmental disability among survivors will also increase. To address this concern, we analyzed changes over time in survival and major neurosensory impairment in a sample of extremely low birth weight infants born between July 1, 1979, and June 30, 1994. METHODS: The study sample included 513 infants with birth weights of 501 to 800 g who were cared for in either of the two neonatal intensive care units that serve a 17-county region in northwest North Carolina and who were born to mothers residing in that region. At 1 year of age (corrected for gestation), survivors were examined by a pediatrician and were tested using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development. Major neurosensory impairment was defined as cerebral palsy, a Bayley Mental Developmental Index <68, or blindness. A total of 209/216 (97%) of survivors were examined at 1 year of age. Epoch of birth was defined as follows: epoch 1, July 1, 1979 to June 30, 1984; epoch 2, July 1, 1984 to June 30, 1989; and epoch 3, July 1, 1989 to June 30, 1994. RESULTS: Survival rates for epochs 1, 2, and 3 were, respectively, 24/120 (20%), 63/175 (36%), and 129/218 (59%). In contrast, the proportions with a major neurosensory impairment did not increase over time; rates for successive epochs were 6/24 (25%), 17/61 (28%), and 26/124 (21%). Rates of cerebral palsy were 3/24 (13%), 12/61 (20%), and 9/124 (7%); rates of delayed mental development were 4/24 (17%), 12/61 (20%), and 17/124 (14%); and rates of blindness were 2/24 (8%), 0/62, and 5/124 (4%), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This analysis suggests that the increasing survival of extremely low birth weight neonates since the late 1970s has not resulted in an increased rate of major developmental problems identifiable at 1 year of age.     

NIOSH提举指数在下背痛流行病学研究中的应用

[目的 ]探讨美国国家职业安全卫生研究所提出的手工作业提举指数 (LI)与下背痛患病率的关系。[方法 ]在 3个具有典型提举作业的工厂中采用流行病学横断面调查方法 ,利用NIOSH提出的提举指数进行接触负荷评价 ,按照Nordic肌肉骨骼症状分析调查表对 491名从事手工提举作业的工人和 3 4名无明显提举任务的行政人员进行问卷调查 ,并对静态肌力进行测试。根据提举指数分为 0 ,～ 1,～ 2 ,～ 3 ,>3共 5组。观察各组工人不同部位肌肉骨骼疾患的患病情况 ,并分析提举指数与下背痛患病的关系。 [结果 ]在肌肉骨骼症状中 ,下背痛的发生率最高。当LI增高时 ,下背痛的OR值也随之增加 ,但其峰值出现在～ 3组 (OR =1.3 5 ) ,而LI >3 ,其OR值并非最高 ,仅为 1.3 0。平均腰拉力最大的为～ 1组 ( 95 .5 9± 2 1.76)kg ,而对照组和LI >3组则分别为 ( 80 .3 6± 14 .49)kg、( 86.85± 2 0 .3 3 )kg。 [结论 ]提举指数对手工提举所引起的下背痛是一个有意义的危险度评价指标。过度手工提举活动可能降低腰拉力。     

Contrast column interruption artefact in computed tomography pulmonary angiography

Interruption of the contrast column during inspiration can lead to non‐diagnostic CT pulmonary angiograms. The importance of this artefact will increase with more CT studies being performed for pulmonary embolism on multidetector row CT. We describe here an instance of such an artefact and discuss its aetiology.     

Human papillomavirus vaccine and adolescents

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The present review describes recent advances in our understanding about the epidemiology of human papillomavirus infection among female adolescents and describes several adolescent-specific issues related to administering human papillomavirus vaccines. RECENT FINDINGS: National estimates demonstrate that human papillomavirus infection is most prevalent among adolescents and young adults. Parents, patients, and providers have a high interest in vaccination against this virus, but current patterns of adolescent healthcare utilization suggest that changes in adolescent preventive care delivery may be needed to provide these vaccines in a timely manner. Debate over whether adolescents should be legally allowed to self-consent to vaccination is another issue that remains unresolved and could have a substantial impact on vaccination rates. Legislation on school entry requirements related to human papillomavirus vaccination has been introduced in many states as a mechanism to circumvent some of these concerns, but the details of this legislation and its effect on adolescent vaccine utilization remain to be determined. SUMMARY: Female adolescents are at a high risk for human papillomavirus infection and are likely to derive significant benefits from vaccination against this virus. However, administering human papillomavirus vaccines to this age group will require providers to be familiar with several issues unique to the adolescent population.     

An estimation of beta-glucuronidase and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase activity in normal and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia lymphocytes

The lysosomal enzymes beta-glucuronidase (EC 3.2.1.31) and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (EC 3.2.1.30) were estimated by biochemical and cytochemical means in the circulating lymphocytes of 20 control subjects, 19 cases of B cell and one case of T cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. Significantly lower levels of activity were observed both biochemically and cytochemically for each enzyme in B cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia lymphocytes, whereas the values obtained for the T cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemic patient fell within the normal range. The absence of staining reaction for both enzymes in the majority of B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia lymphocytes contrasted with the uniform pattern of polar positivity obtained in T cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia lymphocytes.     

Revision Hip Arthroplasty with A Modular Cementless Stem: Mid-Term Follow Up

Despite the increasing volume of revision total hip arthroplasty (THA) being performed in the United States, there are few studies reporting mid-term clinical and radiographic outcomes of modular fully porous-coated femoral stems. We retrospectively studied a consecutive series of patients who underwent revision THA with a modular extensively porous-coated femoral component at a single institution and by a single surgeon. The final study group included 54 hips (52 patients) followed for an average of 84 months. Ten-year survival rates with revision for any reason and revision for femoral loosening as endpoints were 94% and 100%, respectively. No complications regarding the modular junction were encountered. Of the 50 hips with adequate radiographs, all showed proximal ingrowth and 42 (84%) had both proximal and distal ingrowth. The modular, fully porous-coated femoral stem studied demonstrated excellent survivorship and bone ingrowth at mid-term follow up.