High-dose intravenous immunoglobulin therapy improved muscle strength in a patient with multifocal motor neuropathy and antibodies against the glycolipid LK1

We report improvement in muscle strength in a patient with multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN) when given high-dose intravenous immunoglobin (i.v.-Ig) treatment. The patient had asymmetrical limb weakness, atrophy and absent or weak reflexes, but no sensory disturbances. Neurography showed multiple conduction blocks in peripheral motor nerves but no sensory nerve abnormalities. Serum and anti-GM1 antibodies were not found, however, the patient had serum antibodies against the glycolipid LK1, an epitope found both in glycolipid and also in some glycoproteins in peripheral nerve myelin. Muscle strength improved 5 days after i.v.-Ig therapy, and lasted about 10 weeks. Repeated courses of treatment resulted in similar improvement. This is, to our knowledge, the first patient reported with MMN found to have antibodies against the glycolipid LK1.     

Blood pool ventriculography with a new technetium-labelled complex (99mTc-DEPIC) : a clinical evaluation

A new, single bolus method of in vivo blood pool imaging using a technetium Tc99m phosphine isocyanide complex (DEPIC) which binds to pre-albumin was evaluated in volunteers (n=4) and patients (n=20). DEPIC was assessed for its safety and possible drug interactions. Its duration of action and quality of ventriculography were compared with imaging using standard in vivo red cell labelling (PYP) during two 3-h scanning periods 1 week apart. DEPIC had a mean plasma halflife of 3.3 h. The count rate over the left ventricle was initially 42% higher with DEPIC than with PYP. However, removal of DEPIC by the liver resulted in equivalent count rates by 1 h, and by 3 h PYP count rates were 22% higher than DEPIC. Immediately post injection mean (SD) difference in the left ventricular ejection fraction between the two methods was 2.4% (7.7%). Satisfactory DEPIC scans were obtained up to 2 h post injection, but by 3 h there was a mean difference of 13% (11.3%). DEPIC was found to be a safe alternative to red all labelling for blood pool angiography, suitable for routine work. The single bolus methodology and high initial count rates offer improved efficiency and a capability for truly emergency scanning.     

关附甲素对豚鼠乳头肌动作电位最大除极速度的频率依赖性抑制作用

应用标准微电极技术，研究了关附甲素对豚鼠右心室乳头肌动作电位最大除极速率(V_max)的频率依赖性抑制作用(RDB)，并与美西律，奎尼丁，劳卡尼进行了比较. 在相同刺激间隔(300 ms)，产生50%左右RDB的药物浓度下，美西律的RDB开始最快，其第2个V_max所产生的抑制已占RDB的64%，奎尼丁，劳卡尼和关附甲素的RDB开始速率常数分别为每个动作电位0.165, 0.076和0.136. 美西律，奎尼丁，劳卡尼和关附甲素产生RDB的恢复时间常数分别为1.4, 9.0, 18.2和44.0 s，而且它们的恢复时间常数是不依赖于药物浓度而变化的，结果提示，关附甲素是一个慢动力学钠通道阻滞剂.     

非瓣膜病房颤患者左心耳血流动力学的TEE研究

应用多平面经食管超声心动图技术（Ｍ－ＴＥＥ），对３０例健康人和３０例非瓣病房颤患者（ＮＶＡＦ）心底短轴切面测量了左心耳最大直径，同一心动周期内左心耳最大及最小面积及左心耳最大空速度，产将ＮＶＡＦ患者按照自发显影及血栓的有无分为２组。发现ＮＶＡＦ组左心耳增大，收缩力及血流速度均减低，且这种变化在有血栓和有血栓形成倾向的患者中更为明显。     

The prevalence of autonomic neuropathy in the primary glaucomas

The results of systemic autonomic nerve function studies in patients with closed-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension are reviewed. Autonomic neuropathy has been demonstrated in 58% of patients with closed-angle glaucoma and 42% of ocular hypertensive subjects, with significantly increased prevalence in ocular hypertensives with narrow iridocorneal angles. The implications are discussed, with particular reference to the pathogenesis of raised intraocular pressure.     

Research review: DNA polymerases as molecular markers of the regenerating capacity of hepatocytes

Hepatocyte regeneration has been widely investigated, with the mitotic index and the incorporation of [³H]thymidine being used as regeneration markers. We focused on the induction of DNA replication enzymes, particularly DNA polymerases (pol) α, δ, and ε. Using rat models, we have shown that the activity of pol α in crude liver extract well represents the regenerating capacity of hepatocytes. Using pol α as an indicator, we analyzed liver regeneration in rat models under various conditions: obstructive jaundice, external or internal biliary drainage, and the obstruction of portal vein branches. It has been revealed that the ligation of the common bile duct alone induces a certain amount of hepatocyte proliferation. It was striking that external biliary drainage suppressed regeneration capacity in cholestatic rat liver after partial hepatectomy. The strong regeneration in nonligated lobes induced by portal branch ligation was similar to the liver regeneration seen after partial hepatectomy with respect to the induction of DNA polymerases. Taken together, the aspects of DNA replication, particularly the induction of DNA polymerases, may contribute to shedding new light on the regeneration of human liver. This work was supported in part by a Grant-in-Aid for General Scientific Research and for Cancer Research from the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, Japan, and by grants from the Uehara Memorial Foundation     

Donor left ventricular hypertrophy increases risk for early graft failure

A review of factors contributing to early mortality after cardiac transplantation revealed that up to 25 % of deaths were due to primary graft dysfunction unrelated to rejection or infection. In light of this finding, evaluation of a donor heart with regard to its suitability for transplantation takes on added importance. In an effort to screen the suitability of donor hearts in the region covered by the Northwest Organ Procurement Agency (USA), all donors are evaluated by two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography as part of the initial evaluation. A total of 110 donor echocardiograms were reviewed and an attempt was made to correlate the 30-day outcome with the parameters measured. An unexpected finding was that the presence of left ventricular hypertrophy in the donor heart was associated with an increase in the incidence of donor heart dysfunction compared with donors with normal echocardiographic profiles (33 % vs 3 %, P = 0.007). Received: 12 February 1996 Received after resision: 27 June 1997 Accepted: 14 July 1997     

带血管蒂舟骨瓣移位术的应用解剖

目的:为治疗距骨骨折提供新术式的解剖学基础.方法:在30侧灌注红色乳胶的成人下肢标本上,对舟骨背侧面形态、血供来源进行观测.结果:舟骨背侧面动脉主要来自内踝前动脉、跗内侧动脉以及足底内侧动脉浅支,分别发3～5支、1～3支和1～2支外径在0.2～1.0mm之间的骨膜支,形成骨膜动脉网.结论:以内踝前血管为蒂,可切取舟骨背侧2.0cm×1.0cm×0.5cm大小的骨瓣,用于距骨颈骨折修复.术式经临床应用证实,手术简便,效果可靠.     

视网膜分支静脉阻塞和新生血管形成

分析视网膜分支静脉阻塞240例245只眼(5人为双眼)，其中主干分支阻塞208只眼，黄斑分支阻塞37只眼。79只眼产生了新生血管，占总数的32.2%，占主干分支阻塞的37.9%．玻璃体出血39只眼，占分支阻塞的15.9%，占新生血管的49.4%。新生血管的危险因素是无灌注区形成、动脉灌注不良、阻塞处静脉严重受压．新生血管的发生随病程时间延长而增高，病程5年以上者高达83.3%。分支静脉阻塞盲目者20只眼占8.2%，其中因新生血管及并发症致盲者14只眼，占盲目的70%，占分支静脉阻塞的5.7%. （中华眼底病杂志，1994，10：67-70）