Changes in CSF neurotransmitters in infantile spasms

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 7 patients with infantile spasms (mean age: 6.7 months) was collected before and after treatment with adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). The concentration of neurotransmitter metabolites was analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography and compared to the metabolite concentration in the CSF from 7 age-matched controls (mean age: 6.1 months). Pretreatment levels of CSF 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), homovanillic acid, 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenyl glycol (MHPG), and kynurenine were significantly lower in infantile spasm patients compared to controls. Following treatment, marked increases in 5-HIAA and decreases in kynurenine levels were observed in the CSF of the 5 infants whose seizures were eliminated or reduced by ACTH. In the 2 nonresponders 5-HIAA levels decreased. The level of MHPG was reduced slightly in 5 infants, including the 2 nonresponders, and was increased in 2 responders. CSF homovanillic acid levels increased in 4 infantile spasm infants and decreased in 3 following ACTH. These data demonstrate that the presence of seizures in infantile spasms is associated with a significant decrease in serotonergic activity and that elimination of seizures by ACTH is accompanied by increased serotonin turnover. The simultaneous increase of 5-HIAA and decrease of kynurenine, an alternate metabolite of tryptophan, suggests an underlying disturbance of tryptophan metabolism in infantile spasms. The possibility that elimination of seizures by ACTH may be related to decreased production of certain kynurenine metabolites, particularly quinolinic acid, is discussed.     

Comparison of trichloroethylene and enflurane as adjuncts to nitrous oxide and relaxant anaesthesia

Forty women who underwent gynaecological surgery were randomly allocated to receive trichloroethylene, enflurane, or enflurane plus fentanyl as adjuncts to nitrous oxide/relaxant anaesthesia with controlled ventilation. No serious cardiac dysrhythmias were seen in any group. Each patient was observed postoperatively for 4 hours by a nurse blind to the technique used, and questioned at 24 hours by a similarly blinded anaesthetist. Recovery after trichloroethylene was not significantly prolonged although postoperative analgesia by visual analogue was better, opiate analgesia was required less frequently and there was less nausea and vomiting than in either of the enflurane groups. We argue for the continued use of trichloroethylene by this technique, because it costs one hundred times less than enflurane and because of the potential morbidity of the postoperative opiate dosage required after enflurane.     

Oncolytic herpes viral therapy is effective in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines

The rising incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in western countries, along with the poor prognosis offered by present-day treatment modalities, makes novel therapies for this disease necessary. Oncolytic herpes simplex viruses (HSV) are replication-competent viruses that are highly effective in the treatment of a wide variety of experimental models of human malignancies. This study seeks to investigate the effectiveness of oncolytic herpes viruses in the treatment of primary HCC cell lines. Sixteen commercially available human HCC cell lines were studied. G207 is an attenuated, replication-competent, oncolytic HSV engineered to selectively replicate within cancer cells. Cell lines were tested for viral sensitivity to G207 and their ability to support viral replication using standard cytotoxicity and viral replication assays. Eleven of 16 cell lines were moderately to highly sensitive to G207 viral oncolysis. HCC cell lines additionally demonstrated the ability to support viral replication in vitro with as high as 800-fold amplification of the administered viral dose observed. G207 is cytotoxic to, and efficiently replicates within, HCC cell lines in vitro. From these data, we suggest that oncolytic HSV therapy may have a role in the treatment of HCC, and in vivo studies are warranted. Presented in part at the 2005 American Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association Congress, Hollywood, Florida, April 14–17, 2005. Supported by grants R01CA75461 and R01CA72632 from the National Institutes of Health, and by grant MBC-99366 from the American Cancer Society (Yuman Fong).     

Obstetrician-gynecologists as primary care physicians: The Oregon experience—Early perceptions regarding the effects of legislative action

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to assess whether legislative action influenced the role of obstetrician-gynecologists as primary care physicians. STUDY DESIGN: An observational study was performed on the basis of a questionnaire sent to 410 obstetrician-gynecologists and 27 medical directors of managed-care organizations. RESULTS: Of 67% of obstetrician-gynecologists and 96% of medical directors who responded, there was agreement as to the content of primary care, but a minority (38%) of obstetrician-gynecologists identified themselves as primary care providers. A minority of medical directors (35%) felt that obstetrician-gynecologists should serve in that role. Both obstetrician-gynecologists and medical directors felt that legislation had little impact. CONCLUSION: The reticence of obstetrician-gynecologists to assume a major role in primary care appears to be the result of an uneasiness with accepting a more comprehensive role in patient management and gatekeeping. They appear comfortable with the more traditional roles but feel that training and experience has not prepared them well for the management of more complex medical problems. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 1998;178:1222-8.)     

增产菊胺酯对雄性小鼠生殖激素的影响

为了探讨增产菊胺酯引起小鼠精了生成障碍的可能机理，本文研究了增产菊胺酯对雄性小鼠卵泡刺激素（ＦＳＨ）、黄体生成素（ＬＨ）及睾酮（Ｔ）的影响。小鼠经口染毒，隔天一次，连续１０次，第３５天处死。检验因清ＦＳＨ、ＬＨ没有明显变化，而睾丸组织睾酮含量出现剂理依赖性降低，高剂量组与对照组比较有显著性差异（Ｐ〈０．０５），结果表明，增产菊胺酯不影响ＦＳＨ、ＬＨ，而影响Ｔ的合成和分泌。这可能是增产菊胺酯对小鼠精     

多发性肌炎的动物模型及雷公藤多甙对其疗效的研究

目的　寻找一种多发性肌炎的良好动物模型及其有效的治疗药物。　　方法　给动物注射同种大鼠的肌匀浆 ,观察其活动状态 ;通过肌肉组织染色及ELISA法 ,研究肌肉的病理学变化 ,同时给动物喂服雷公藤多甙观察药物疗效。　　结果　部分动物表现肌无力和肌萎缩 ,大多数肌肉组织学检查示肌纤维炎性变 ;免疫组化检查可见肌膜、肌内膜和肌束膜中有IgG沉积。动物服雷公藤多甙后肌肉病变明显减轻 ,其疗效与强的松相似。　　结论　用同种大鼠肌匀浆免疫动物可诱导出多发性肌炎的动物模型 ;雷公藤多甙能有效地治疗多发性肌炎。     

胎骨移植治疗骨肿瘤缺损：附10例报告

近3年来，用制备的胎骨充填良性骨肿瘤及病样病变术后骨缺损，经观察10例效果良好。胎骨因其自身组织学和生理学特点，具有抗原性小、诱导成骨活性高，利于“爬行各代”等优点。而且来源丰富、采制简单、储存容易、费用低度，是一种良好的植骨材料，特别适于儿童及年老体弱患者自身取骨困难的骨缺损植骨需要。但其为异体骨，有一定免疫原性，抗支撑强度略差，应注意严格无菌操作、消除免疫原性、配合使用内、外固定等措施。     

Patients'attitudes to rectal drug administration

One hundred adult patients attending for day case surgery were surveyed by anonymous questionnaire in order to determine their attitudes to rectal drug administration. Fifty four patients did not want an analgesic drug (diclofenac sodium) administered rectally whilst under anaesthesia, all preferring to take it orally if available. Ninety eight patients thought that drugs administered per rectum should always be discussed with them beforehand and a few had very strong feelings about this route of administration. We suggest that prescribers of rectal diclofenac should always discuss it with patients pre-operatively. Whilst many are happy to have suppositories, some young patients are sensitive about this and prefer to take such medication by mouth.