Substance P-like immunoreactivity in human cerebrospinal fluid

In a study to elucidate molecular mechanisms in pain, substance P-like immunoreactivity (SP-LI) was measured in lumbar CSF from 75 patients with lower back pain. Two samples – one before and one after lidocaine treatment – were obtained from each patient, and total SP-LI was measured in unfractionated (no HPLC) samples. SP-LI data were separated into three categories: placebo responders, pharmacological responders, and pharmacological non-responders. A significant difference was observed between the total SP-LI measurement of first and second samples of pharmacological non-responders. Distribution of SP-LI immunoreactive molecular species in two CSF patient samples (no ODS) was analyzed with a combination of reversed phase (RP) HPLC and RIA. Immunoreactivity in collected HPLC fractions was measured at calibrated retention times of synthetic SP-sulfoxide (SP-O), SP, and SP_5–11. Qualitative and quantitative differences in those HPLC-RIA metabolic profiles were observed within and between those two patients' samples. These data indicate that the type and amount of SP metabolism and SP precursor-processing differs in CSF between these two representative patients and within the short amount of time elapsed between acquiring these two samples.     

Klinefelter's Syndrome: Hypogonadism,abnormal carbohydrate metabolism. Is it a result of biotin deficiency?

The aetiology of Klinefelter's Syndrome is not known. The causative factor(s) must explain the hypogonadism, low androgen levels, the disordered carbohydrate metabolism and the commonly associated psychiatric conditions. A biotin deficient/dependent state can account for the above. A biotin deficient Klinefelter's Syndrome patients with the above is described. The possible role of biotin in the primary, secondary and tertiary prevention of Klinefelter's Syndrome needs further research.     

二尖瓣置换术围手术期硝普钠的应用

本文介绍了20例二尖瓣置换术病人围手术期使用硝普钠的经验。术中和术后早期使用硝普钠可降低肾素-血管紧张素系统的活性、减轻外周血管阻力和后负荷,增强泵血功能,从而使心脏指数升高,降低术后高血压和肺水种的发生率。体外循环停止后,硝普钠与低浓度升压药并用可增强心肌收缩力,预防低排综合征     

镉对大鼠肾脏和睾丸毒性的比较

大鼠饮水中给镉12wk后,检测了尿低分子蛋白(LMWP)排出量。尿碱性磷酸酶(ALP)活性,血清睾酮水平,睾丸乳酸脱氢酶同功酶(LDH-X)活性,精子计数和形态,雄鼠生育力,肾,睾丸和附睾组织镉含量,并在光镜和电镜下观察上述组织的病理变化,从生化,形态和功能改变三方面比较了大鼠肾脏和睾丸对镉的敏感性,发现尿LMWP和ALP仅在高剂量组显著增加,而血清睾酮和睾丸LDH-X在中剂量纽和低剂量纽已明显降低,说明镉对睾丸的有害作用可出现在肾脏之前。     

Plasma thrombomodulin level in very low birthweight infants at birth

Objective: Plasma soluble thrombomodulin level reflects endothelial damage. The plasma thrombomodulin level at birth is increased in asphyxiated full-term infants. There is no report of plasma thrombomodulin level in premature infants. To determine the thrombomodulin level in premature infants and whether it might reflect endothelial damage, we examined the plasma thrombomodulin level in very low birthweight (VLBW) infants at birth. Methods: Forty-five VLBW infants, of whom 14 had perinatal asphyxia complications, were recruited. As a control, 50 full-term infants wimout complications were also studied. Plasma thrombomodulin concentration, pH, base deficit, serum creatinine and D-dimer concentration, platelet count and fibrinogen concentration were measured within 1 hour after birth. Results: There were significant differences in plasma pH, creatinine concentration, platelet count, antithrombin in activity and D-dimer concentration between VLBW infants and full-term infants. Plasma thrombomodulin concentration (39. 0 (16. 6–93. 7) vs 27. 0 (16. 6–39. 1) μg/L, p < 0. 0001) and plasma taombomodulin-to-serum creatinine ratio (0. 82 (0. 19–2. 65) vs 0. 47 (0. 24–0. 70) μg/μmol, p < 0. 0001) were significantly higher in VLBW infants than those in full-term infants. By univariate analyses for all neonates, there were significant relations between plasma thrombomodulin concentration and gestational age, birthweight, plasma pH, creatinine concentration, platelet count and antithrombin in activity. A stepwise multiple linear regression model using the above variables as dependent factors showed only birthweight contributed significantly to plasma thrombomodulin concentration (plasma thrombomodulin concentration (μg/1) = 45. 677–0. 006 (birthweight; g), r²= 0. 323, p < 0. 0001, n= 94). Plasma thrombomodulin concentration and plasma thrombomodulin-to -serum creatinine ratio in VLBW infants with asphyxia were higher than in those without asphyxia, but not significantly different (43. 2 ± 17. 7 vs 38. 3 ± 8. 5 μg/1 and 0. 92 ± 0. 60 vs 0. 83 ± 0. 37 μg/μmol). Conclusion: Plasma thrombomodulin level in VLBW infants shows a high value at birth, and we consider the main factor responsible for this elevation may be endothelial damage or low clearance rate of thrombomodulin, which may be related to early gestational age.     

Survival of low birthweight infants in central Queensland

The survival of low birthweight infants £2000g born in the central Queensland area during the years 1979 to 1991 was examined. Five hundred and sixty such infants were either delivered at one of the two Rockhampton obstetric units (Rockhampton Base Hospital and the Mater Misericordiae Hospital) or retrieved from outlying central Queensland areas. Both hospitals had intensive care nurseries capable of ventilation and infants were transferred to tertiary centres only for cardiac or surgical treatment. The study involved all liveborn infants', including those with lethal malformations and all deaths up to the time of discharge. Survival rates were as follows: £500 g 0%, 501 £750 g 30%, 751 £1000 g 51%, 1001 ± 1500 g 79%, 1501 £2000g 93%. The survival of Aboriginal infants and outborn infants were found to be essentially the same as the overall group.     

Association of a genetic polymorphism in human apolipoprotein B-100 with intermediate density lipoprotein concentrations

Immunochemical techniques have been used to identify five antigenic (Ag) sites on apolipoprotein B-100 (apoB), the major protein constituent of very low density (VLDL), intermediate density (IDL), and low density lipoproteins (LDL). Each Ag site results from allelic variation at a specific locus of the apoB gene. In the present study, we assessed whether variations in the five Ag loci were associated with concentrations of plasma lipids or lipoprotein fractions measured by analytical ultracentrifugation in a group of 44 healthy men. Pair-wise analyses of the Ag markers revealed that Ag(a1/d), in association with either Ag(x/y) or Ag(t/z), is significantly related to plasma IDL-mass concentrations. In this cohort we detected no significant associations of the Ag alleles (singly or in combination) with plasma total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, or mass of total VLDL or LDL. These results suggest that genetic variations in the apoB molecule may predispose to variations in concentrations of IDL that could have consequences for atherosclerotic risk.     

微电流与低浓度氯对水中脊髓灰质炎I型病毒的协同灭活效应

目的　观察微电流 (low amperage direct current,LDC)与游离氯 (free chlorine,FC)对水中脊髓灰质炎 I型病毒 (PV1 )的协同灭活效果 .方法　用微电流 0 .4～ 1 .2 m A·cm-2 协同氯 0 .2～ 0 .3 mg· L-1 处理污染 PV1水样 ,比较作用前后灭活率 K值评价灭活效果 ,用 Berenbaum方法判断微电流与氯灭活病毒有无协同效应 ,用蚀斑形成试验 (PFUA)和病毒细胞酶联免疫试验 (VELCIA)检测感染性和抗原性变化 .结果　实验观察到微电流达到 0 .4 m A· cm-2 对水中PV1有弱灭活作用 ,电流密度达到 1 .2 m A· cm-2 与 0 .2mg· L-1氯有协同灭活效应 ,微电流 1 .2 m A· cm-2与氯 0 .3mg· L-1协同消毒 30 min,水中病毒减少 4.0 8个对数级 ,而单独用氯仅减少 1 .93个对数级 ;协同作用后病毒感染性灭活增强 ,而抗原性灭活不明显 .结论　微电流协同氯可提高低浓度氯灭活水中病毒的效果     

彩色多普勒超声诊断糖尿病下肢动脉病变的临床价值

目的 :研究彩色多普勒超声在糖尿病下肢动脉病变诊断中的应用。方法 :对临床上诊断为非胰岛素依赖型糖尿病 (NIDDM)患者发生下肢动脉病变的 6 2例进行彩色多普勒超声检查 ,并以 2 0例无糖尿病正常人作对照。结果 :6 2例NIDDM患者中阳性结果 4 0例 ,发病率 6 4 .5 2 %。正常对照组 2 0例 ,阳性结果 4例 ,发病率2 0 % ,下肢动脉病变程度与NIDDM组有显著性差异P <0 .0 1。结论 :彩色多普勒超声诊断糖尿病下肢动脉病变具有重要临床意义 ,且下肢动脉病变与NIDDM有密切相关性。     

Low sodium haemodialysis reduces interdialytic fluid consumption but paradoxically increases post-dialysis thirst.

BACKGROUND: Interdialytic weight gain (IDWG) can be reduced by lowering the dialysate sodium concentration ([Na]) in haemodialysis patients. It has been assumed that this is because thirst is reduced, although this has been difficult to prove. We compared thirst patterns in stable haemodialysis patients with high and low IDWG using a novel technique and compared the effect of low sodium dialysis (LSD) with normal sodium dialysis (NSD). METHODS: Eight patients with initial high IDWG and seven with low IDWG completed hourly visual analogue ratings of thirst using a modified palmtop computer during the dialysis day and the interdialytic day. The dialysate [Na] was progressively reduced by up to 5 mmol/l over five treatments. Dialysis continued at the lowest attained [Na] for 2 weeks and the measurements were repeated. The dialysate [Na] then returned to baseline and the process was repeated. RESULTS: Baseline interdialytic day mean thirst was higher than the dialysis day mean for the high IDWG group (49.9+/-14.0 vs 36.2+/-16.6) and higher than the low weight gain group (49.9+/-14.0 vs 34.1+/-14.6). This trend persisted on LSD, but there was a pronounced increase in post-dialysis thirst scores for both groups (high IDWG: 46+/-13 vs 30+/-21; low IDWG: 48+/-24 vs 33+/-18). The high IDWG group demonstrated lower IDWG during LSD than NSD (2.23+/-0.98 vs 2.86+/-0.38 kg; P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that patients with high IDWG experience more intense feelings of thirst on the interdialytic day. LSD reduces their IDWG, but paradoxically increases thirst in the immediate post-dialysis period.