Growth of children from 0-5 years: with special reference to mother's smoking in pregnancy

A cohort of 1163 pregnant women in two small towns in South Wales, UK, was identified and followed until the children born to them were five years of age. Growth in these children is described and a number of determinants identified. Social-class differences were very small at birth but differences in height became clear by the age of two years and in head circumference before this. In height the differences were largely accounted for by greater growth in social class I, but there was a gradient in head circumference throughout all the social classes. The social class effects gradually increased as the children became older. Parity of the mothers had a small effect on size at birth but age of the mother had no effect once parity was allowed for. Data on illnesses in the children were collected but no effect on growth could be detected. By far the most important determinant of growth which could be controlled is maternal smoking. About 40% of the women smoked, about 17% heavily (15 or more cigarettes per day) and the prevalence of smoking altered little during pregnancy. There was a graded effect of smoking on growth up to a 9% deficit in birth-weight, a 2% deficit in length at birth and a 1.5% deficit in head circumference in the babies born to the mothers who smoked most heavily (25 or more cigarettes per day) compared with non-smokers. There effects decreased with age but there were still residual effects at age five years.     

Activity of newer beta-lactam agents against clinical isolates of Bacteroides fragilis and other Bacteroides species.

The in vitro activities of beta-lactam antibiotics against Bacteroides fragilis and B. fragilis group isolates are presented. Clinical isolates from 1986 were compared with strains from 1979 to 1982. Imipenem, ticarcillin-clavulanic acid, and ceftizoxime were the most active agents. Cefotetan was equivalent to cefoxitin against B. fragilis but less active against B. fragilis group isolates. Enhancement of cefotaxime by its desacetyl metabolite was minimal.     

Nails in systemic disease

Nail plate and nail unit abnormalities may be helpful as diagnostic tools or as a part of the puzzle for confirmation of systemic disease. There are specific and nonspecific nail signs, which can be seen involving one or more nails, that occur simultaneously or secondary to systemic disease. Occasionally these clues can be diagnostic, while most are nonspecific reaction patterns. Nail changes occur in the nail plate as a result of nail matrix abnormalities caused by systemic disease and other systemic insults such as reactions to medications. In this article we review some of the more common nail signs that can be used to help diagnose systemic disease.     

多形性低度恶性腺癌的组织病理学与免疫组化研究

目的：研究多形性低度恶性腺癌（PLGA）的组织病理学和免疫组织化学特点，并与腺样囊性癌（ACC）进行比较。方法；采用组织病理学与免疫组织化学方法，对8例PLGA与10例ACC进行分析。结果；PLAC的特点是组织学上具有细胞形态的一致性与组织结构的多形性；免疫级化染色呈阳性或部分阳性反应，与ACC没有明显差异。结论：光镜下组织结构的多形性是鉴别PLGA与ACC的重要指征；免疫组化对二者的区分意义不大；均起源于闰管储备细胞是导致二者相似性的根本原因。     

Maxillary sinus puncture and culture in the diagnosis of acute rhinosinusitis: the case for pursuing alternative culture methods.

OBJECTIVE: Traditional assessments of the microbial flora associated with acute bacterial rhinosinusitis have relied on maxillary sinus punctures (taps) and culture. These taps are now considered the gold standard for obtaining cultures and are used as the method of identifying bacterial pathogens in antimicrobial trials. Maxillary sinus taps are limited by discomfort to the patients and technical concerns. Because of these factors, the standard of performing taps has limited antibiotic trials and microbial surveillance. Alternatives to maxillary sinus taps have been explored. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a retrospective, systematic review of the literature from 1950 to 2000 of articles comparing culture techniques in the nose and paranasal sinuses for acute bacterial rhinosinusitis. RESULTS: Nasal cultures have poor correlation to maxillary sinus cultures, whereas there is 60% to 85% concordance between endoscopically guided middle meatal cultures and maxillary sinus cultures. These studies, however, are all limited by small sample sizes and therefore are inadequate to make any concrete recommendations regarding the relative role of endoscopically guided middle meatal cultures as a formal method of pathogen identification in acute bacterial rhinosinusitis. CONCLUSION: A formal prospective study with sufficient sample size to assess the concordance between the microbial flora of the maxillary sinus punctures and middle meatal cultures in acute rhinosinusitis is recommended.     

胃癌组织端粒酶活性与催化亚基hTERT表达的关系

研究胃癌、胃黏膜肠化生及正常黏膜组织端粒酶活性与人端粒酶催化亚基(hTERT)表达的相关性及端粒酶激活在胃癌发生中的作用.方法:通过端粒重复序列扩增(TRAP)和逆转录聚合酶链反应(RT -PCR)方法测定3种胃癌细胞株、26例胃癌、10例胃黏膜肠化生和36例正常胃黏膜组织标本端粒酶活性和hTERT表达.结果:3种胃癌细胞株、24例胃癌组织有端粒酶活性;4例肠化生端粒酶活性较弱;36例正常胃黏膜标本未测到端粒酶活性.hTERT在26例胃癌组织、5例肠化胃黏膜中表达;正常胃黏膜无表达.端粒酶活性、hTERT表达与肿瘤的分期和病理分级无关.结论:hTERT在肿瘤形成的早期阶段表达,端粒酶的激活是胃癌形成的关键步骤.     

硒对紫外线诱导HLF细胞凋亡的保护作用

目的：探讨紫外线诱导人HLF细胞凋亡时DNA降解特点，以及硒对紫外线诱导细胞凋亡的保护作用。方法：紫外线分别照射体外培养的人肺成纤维细胞3min和5min，同时添加亚硒酸钠（8ng/ml），设立对照组。利用吖啶橙荧光染料染色鉴定凋亡细胞，利用琼脂糖凝胶电泳检测DNA ladder。结果：紫外线可以诱导人肺成纤维细胞（28代）凋亡，作用存在时间效应关系。紫外线诱导人肺成纤维细胞凋亡时，未出现典型的DNA ladder现象。硒对于紫外线诱导的细胞凋亡有显著的抑制作用。结论：DNA ladder不能作为细胞凋亡的唯一的标志，紫外线诱导的细胞凋亡与DNA ladder的出现并不总是一致的。硒具有拮抗紫外线诱导的细胞凋亡作用。     

去势后大鼠海马结构一氧化氮合酶阳性神经元的变化

目的：观察去势后大鼠海马结构一氧化氮合酶（NOS）阳性神经元的变化。方法：用黄递酶组织化学染色方法观察切除双侧卵巢后雌后SD大鼠海马结构NOS阳性神经元的形态，分布的变化，并进行计算机图像分析。结果：去势后海马结构NOS阳性神经元分布变化有区域差异性；NOS阳性神经元在下托、海马（CA）一区邻近下托的部分、CA三区、CA四区（CA4）和齿状回（DG）数目明显减少，而在CA二区数目明显明显增多，CA4和DG的NOS阳性神经元平均密度降低，胞体的平均周长和平均截面积都明显减少。结论：雌激素可能通过影响海马结构NOS的表达来影响学习和记忆。     

老年脑梗死患者急性期血小板活化功能定量检测

目的 :探讨老年脑梗死患者外周血中血小板膜糖蛋白变化的临床意义。　方法 :应用流式细胞术检测了 6 8例急性期老年脑梗死患者外周血血小板活化分子标记物CD4 1、CD6 2p和CD6 3的含量水平 ,与 4 2例正常老年人对照 ;并对脑梗死组病灶大小、梗死部位、病情分级等与血小板活化分子表达的变化进行分析 ,应用统计学进行处理。　结果 :急性期脑梗死患者血小板粘附分子CD4 1、CD6 2 p和CD6 3的表达水平显著高于正常对照组 (P <0 .0 1) ,且与梗死灶大小及病情分级密切相关 ,与梗死部位无关。　结论 :老年脑梗死患者急性期外周血血小板活化功能明显增强 ,为早期应用抗血小板聚集药物的治疗提供了实验依据     

No impact of repeated endoscopic screens on gastric cancer mortality in a prospectively followed Chinese population at high risk.

BACKGROUND: Gastric cancer (GC) is the leading cause of cancer deaths in China. Our study prospectively evaluated the impact of repeated endoscopic screens on GC mortality in a high-risk population in China. METHODS: Between 1989 and 1999, a population-based gastroscopic screening was conducted in 4,394 residents of Linqu County, China, a region with the highest rates of GC worldwide. Residents ages 35 to 64 years received initial gastroscopies with biopsies in 1989. Repeated endoscopies were performed in 1994 and 1999. Cancer occurrences and deaths were actively monitored throughout the entire period until July 2000. Mortality from GC was compared with expected values based on mortality rates obtained for Linqu in the 1990-1992 Chinese Cancer Mortality Survey. RESULTS: Between March 1989 and July 2000, 39,303 person-years were accumulated; 85 new GCs occurred, 29 (34.5%) were in early stage. Fifty-eight cases (68%) were identified at one of the screens. The number of observed deaths from GC (37) was close to the expected (36.8). The standardized mortality ratio was 1.01 (95% CI 0.72-1.37) for the entire cohort, 1.13 (95% CI 0.77-1.57) for males, and 0.65 (95% CI 0.26-1.32) for females. CONCLUSIONS: Despite high population coverage with repeated screens, no reduction in GC mortality was observed in this high-risk population in China.