The significance of a rapid cold hemagglutination test for detecting mycoplasma infections in children with asthma exacerbation.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection is a frequent cause of community-acquired respiratory infections in children and adults. However, standardized, rapid, specific methods for its diagnosis are lacking. The relationship between M. pneumoniae infection and asthma exacerbation has been recently discussed in the literature. We investigated the accuracy of rapid detection of mycoplasma infection by cold hemagglutination test compared to conventional enzyme immunoassays. The clinical characteristics of mycoplasma infection seen during emergent visits in asthmatic children were reviewed. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed medical records of patients with asthma exacerbation visiting the Department of Pediatric Emergency, National Taiwan University Hospital, over a 12-month period. Subjects 2-18 years of age diagnosed with asthma at our outpatient clinic were included in this study. Patients with immunodeficiency, congenital anomalies, neurological diseases and irregular follow-up were excluded. RESULTS: A total of 269 children (174 males and 95 females) with a mean (+/- standard deviation) age of 6.15 +/- 3.08 years were included. The prevalence of asthma exacerbation in regular follow-up patients was 13.4%, and as many as 19.6% of cases (74/378 person-times) required hospitalization. Asthma attacks were most prevalent during December. 126 patients had both rapid cold hemagglutination testing and mycoplasma immunoglobulin M titers determined using acute blood samples drawn in the emergency room; 46 (36.5%) of these patients demonstrated mycoplasma infection. Sensitivity and specificity of the rapid cold hemagglutination test was 78.3% and 41.3%, respectively. The positive predictive value was 43.4%. Comparison of patients with or without mycoplasma infection revealed no differences in gender, age, chest X-ray findings, and most symptoms/signs and laboratory data, except that more signs of fever and auscultatory rales were seen in the non-mycoplasma infection group. CONCLUSIONS: Mycoplasma infections could be an exacerbating factor for asthma, and the rapid cold hemagglutination test should not be a guideline for prescribing macrolides in the emergency room.     

Shape of the myopic eye as seen with high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging.

We have obtained multislice magnetic resonance (MR) images of the eye and calculated ocular dimensions along the three cardinal axes: antero-posterior (A-P), equatorial, and vertical. We found no difference in the shape of hyperopic (average refractive error: +3.72 D) and emmetropic eyes, both of which had an equatorial diameter longer than the A-P and vertical diameters. Myopic eyes (average refractive error: -6.54 D) were larger than hyperopic eyes, and most had the same spheroelliptical shape as that of the emmetropic and hyperopic eyes. The results suggest that during myopic progression an overall enlargement or a radial volume expansion has occurred.     

Chemical constituents of Isodon albopilosus (C.Y. Wu et H.W. Li) Hara]

Five compounds have been isolated from the stems and leaves of Isodon albopilosus. On the basis of spectroscopic and chemical data, they were identified as macrocalyxin C, stearic acid, beta-sitosterol, ursolic acid and beta-sitosterol-beta-D-glucoside, respectively.     

Detection of C. pneumoniae by polymerase chain reaction-enzyme immunoassay in abdominal aortic aneurysm walls and its association with rupture.

OBJECTIVE: Serological studies have suggested that one of the risk factors for aneurysm development is C. pneumoniae infection. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether there is an association between the presence of C. pneumoniae DNA in aneurysms and ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms. METHODS: Aortic walls were collected consecutively from 30 patients with intact AAA, 16 patients with ruptured AAA and 19 healthy organ donors (control). Purified DNAs from all aortas were analyzed for the presence of C. pneumoniae DNA in parallel by polymerase chain reaction-enzyme immunoassay (PCR-EIA) and agarose gel electrophoresis. PCR-EIA has a high sensitivity in detecting low DNA copy number in clinical atherosclerotic samples. RESULTS: C. pneumoniae DNA was detected more frequently in patients with aneurysms, particular with ruptured aneurysms. The incidence of positive C. pneumoniae DNA was 73.3% in intact AAA and 10.5% in control aortas, with the highest frequency in ruptured AAA (100%) (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Giving the high specificity and sensitivity of PCR-EIA, these findings support the association of C. pneumoniae in the pathogenesis of aneurysm development, growth and rupture.     

单独肝尾状叶血管瘤切除术

肝尾状叶由于解剖位置特殊,位置深,难以显露,手术难度大,是肝脏外科领域手术操作的难点与研究热点.随着肝血流控制技术的发展、肝实质离断技术的提高,肝尾状叶肿瘤切除率明显提高[1].2006年4月至2008年10月,我科完成单独肝尾状叶血管瘤切除术9例,现将手术技巧与疗效报道如下.     

牛磺酸在防治老年病中的应用及其药理机制

牛磺酸(taurine,Tau) 又名为牛胆酸、牛胆素,是名贵中药"牛黄"的主要功效成分之一,化学名为2-氨基乙磺酸(2-Aminoethyanesulfonicacid),分子结构式见图1.牛磺酸最早于1827年从雄牛的胆汁中分离得到并得名,1975年Hayes等[1]报道牛磺酸为猫和早产儿的必需营养物质,此后国际上对牛磺酸进行了大量的研究.本文就牛磺酸的生化性质及防病抗衰功效做一综述,并提出笔者对牛磺酸药理作用的独特的生化诠释.     

微波快速过氧化物酶染色法与灌注法用于微循环形态学研究之比较

以健康Ｗｉｓｔａｒ大白鼠为材料，对微波快速内源性过氧化物酶染色与灌注法显示微血管的方法进行了对比研究。结果，过氧化物酶组织化学法具有不用灌注，操作简单，所用时间短，对血管无扩张、破裂等人为改变的特点，保持了微血管真实的自然形态和管径大小，可以定量或半定量地判定组织器官活体时的血液循环状况。可以用于人及动物的大脑、脊髓、皮肤、耳及食管等组织内微血管形态学研究和定量分析。并对过氧化物酶显示微血管的原理和微波辐射促进染色的原理及特点进行了分析、讨论。     

The effects of radiofrequency catheter ablation on the metabolic enzymes and Ca++-ATPase of myocytes

Summary Using histochemical technique, the effects of radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) on the activities of LDH, SDH, CCO, and Ca⁺⁺-ATPase of guinea-pig ventricular myocytes were examined. The histological changes were observed for comparison. Radiofrequency energy (500 kHz) delivered was 20 WX 10 s. The results were as follows: RFCA resulted in significant impairments in all the four kinds of enzymes but without statistical differences in the areas involved in this energy level. No statistically significant difference was found between the ranges of enzymatic damages and areas of pathological lesions. These findings showed a consistency in areas of the histological and histochemical lesions resulted from RFCA.     

小鼠卵细胞质内显微注入单精子受精的实验研究

为了探讨提高小鼠卵细胞质内单精子注入受精率的方法，选取鼠龄１２－１４周的健康昆明白小鼠作为精子和卵子的供体，受用ＩＣＳＩ技术，以受精后二细胞卵裂的形成率为指标，了解不同采卵时间，不同微注射针参数及不同培养液对细胞质单精子注入的影响。结果表明，ｈＣＧ注射后１８－１９ｈ采卵，用针尖内径为４－５μｍ，斜面角度为３５－４０度的微注射针进行ＩＣＳＩ操作受精后卵子置ＣＺＢ中培养可获得较多的２细胞胚，卵裂率明显     

两种检测血清结合胆红素方法的结果比较

[目的]比较2，4-二氯苯胺重氮法（DCA）和钒酸盐氧化法检测血清结合胆红素的结果。[方法]根据NCCLS（EP6-P）评价方案，评估两种方法的相关性和偏倚。[结果]两种方法的检测结果相关性良好（r=0．9985），Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ组检测结果无差异，Ⅳ组结果有差异。[结论]应建立与方法学相对应的血清结合胆红素参考值范围。