A Brief Mental Health Outcomes Measure: Translation and Validation of the Czech Version of the Schwartz Outcomes Scale-10

The Schwartz Outcomes Scale-10 (SOS-10) is a 10-item scale developed to measure the effectiveness of psychiatric treatments. Using standard methodology, we translated the scale into Czech and examined the psychometric properties of the Czech version. 207 in-patients admitted to Prague Psychiatric Center were included in the study. All patients completed the SOS at admission and discharge. The SOS-10 scale was also administered to 170 persons from the general population. Reliability, validity and sensitivity to treatment change of the Czech SOS-10 were analyzed. The Cronbach’s α coefficient was 0.92. The item-total correlation coefficients varied from 0.56 to 0.82. The SOS-10 correlated well with condition-specific measures including depression (BDI) and anxiety (BAI) and a global self-rated symptom severity scale (CGI). The SOS-10 also had significant correlations with the Health, Basic needs, Relationship, and Leisure time domains of the Czech version of the Subjective Quality of Life Analysis (SQUALA-CZ). The scale discriminated well between patients and controls, with patients scoring significantly lower on all SOS items. The patient sample’s admission and discharge scores were significantly different, indicating that the scale is sensitive to treatment changes. We concluded that the Czech SOS-10 is valid with reliability and factor structure similar to the American language version.     

肝炎肝硬化患者血清IL-10、IL-18水平的变化及意义

目的探讨血清IL10、IL18在肝炎肝硬化的发病机制中的作用。方法62例肝炎肝硬化患者根据childpugh分级法分为3组:childpughA级组19例、childpughB级组23例和childpughC级组20例。采用ELISA法检测3组患者和20例健康献血员血清IL10、IL18的水平。结果childpughA、B、C级组血清IL18水平均明显高于对照组(P均<0.01),childpughA级组血清IL10水平略高于对照组,但无显著性差异(P>0.05);childpughB、C级组明显低于对照组(P<0.05);有腹水组、无腹水组血清IL18水平均明显高于对照组(P均<0.01),有腹水组血清IL10水平明显低于无腹水组、对照组(P<0.05,P<0.01);血清IL10水平与血清IL8水平呈负相关(r=-0.51,P<0.01);血清白蛋白水平与血清IL10水平呈正相关(r=0.566,P<0.01),与血清IL8水平呈负相关(r=-0.315,P<0.01);血清凝血酶原活动度与血清IL10水平呈正相关(r=0.506,P<0.01),与血清IL18水平呈负相关(r=-0.463,P<0.01);血清总胆红素水平与血清IL8水平呈正相关(r=0.677,P<0.01),与血清IL10水平呈负相关(r=-0.339,P<0.01)。结论IL10、IL18在肝炎肝硬化的发病机制中起一定的作用,其水平与肝损害程度密切相关。     

Serum intact parathyroid hormone levels in elderly Chinese females with hip fracture

Summary Serum intact parathyroid hormone (PTH), 25 hydroxyvitamin D(25OHD), 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)₂D), albumin, and ionized calcium were measured in 61 Chinese female patients with hip fracture and 61 control subjects. Hip fracture patients had low albumin, ionized calcium, and 250HD levels. Serum PTH and 1,25 (OH)₂D values were not different between the two groups. We conclude that although 250HD level in hip fracture patients is low, there is no evidence of secondary hyperparathyroidism, suggesting that the low 250HD levels may be a secondary phenomenon in response to the fracture.     

The effect of quinidine on the analgesic effect of codeine

Summary We have studied the hypoalgesic effect of codeine (100 mg) after blocking the hepatic O-demethylation of codeine to morphine via the sparteine oxygenase (CYP2D6) by quinidine (200 mg). The study was performed in 16 extensive metabolizers of sparteine, using a double-blind, randomized, four-way, cross-over design. The treatments given at 3 h intervals during the four sessions were placebo/placebo, quinidine/placebo, placebo/codeine, and quinidine/codeine. We measured pin-prick pain and pain tolerance thresholds to high energy argon laser stimuli before and 1, 2, and 3 h after codeine or placebo.After codeine and placebo, the peak plasma concentration of morphine was 6–62 (median 18) nmol·.l^–1. When quinidine pre-treatment was given, no morphine could be detected (<4 nmol·l^–1) after codeine. The pin-prick pain thresholds were significantly increased after placebo/codeine, but not after quinidine/codeine compared with placebo/placebo. Both placebo/codeine and quinidine/codeine increased pain tolerance thresholds significantly. Quinidine/codeine and quinidine/placebo did not differ significantly for either pin-prick or tolerance pain thresholds.These results are compatible with local CYP2D6 mediated formation of morphine in the brain, not being blocked by quinidine. Alternatively, a hypoalgesic effect of quinidine might have confounded the results.     

Hemoglobin constant spring defined by specific oligonucleotide hybridization and hemoglobin D Punjab (beta 121----Gln) in a Batak Indonesian family

A Batak Indonesian from North Sumatra with hemoglobin (Hb) D Punjab (alpha 2 beta 2 121----Gln) and hemoglobin Constant Spring (Hb CoSp) is described. The 24-year-old man did not have clinical symptoms, and his hematological indices were normal. However, he had a persistent slight elevation of fetal hemoglobin level. His mother and his brother were heterozygous for Hb D Punjab; his father had Hb CoSp trait. A sister did not have any abnormal hemoglobin. To show the exact molecular defect leading to the synthesis of Hb CoSp in this family, genomic DNA from the father was analyzed by hybridization with synthetic oligonucleotides. Genomic DNA was digested with Sst I and Hind III producing a 1.05-kb fragment from the 3' end segment of the alpha 2-globin gene, including the termination codon. Two nonadecamers were synthesized to serve as probes: one, entirely homologous to the normal 3' end of alpha 2A-globin gene sequence, including the termination codon TAA, the other different from it by a replacement of the T in the termination codon TAA with C, changing it to CAA, the codon for the amino acid glutamine. DNA from normal controls gave a positive signal with the normal alpha 2TAA oligonucleotide probe but negative with the alpha 2 CAA probe. The father of propositus who had Hb CoSp trait gave a positive signal with the normal alpha 2TAA oligonucleotide probe as well as with the alpha 2CAA oligonucleotide probe, showing him to be heterozygous for the alpha 2CAA-globin gene. This result shows that the Hb CoSp in the Batak family is indeed due to a replacement of T by C in the TAA termination codon of the alpha 2-globin gene changing it to CAA the condon for glutamine. This explains the resulting readthrough of the untranslated sequence of the mRNA.     

Intranasal treatment with ovalbumin but not the major T cell epitope ovalbumin 323–339 generates interleukin-10 secreting T cells and results in the induction of allergen systemic tolerance

BACKGROUND: Nasal administration of major peptide T cell epitopes gives contradictory data on the induction of peripheral tolerance. OBJECTIVE: To compare the prophylactic effect of intranasal treatment (INT) on the development of an allergic response, using either ovalbumin (OVA) or its major T cell epitope OVA 323-339 (OVAp). METHODS: BALB/c mice were treated intranasally with OVA or OVAp and subsequently immunized s.c. with OVA. Anti-OVA-specific antibody, T cell proliferation and cytokine responses were analysed. In an adoptive transfer model using OVAp specific TCR transgenic (Tg) T cells from D011.10 mice, in vivo tracking and characterization of transferred T cells in the cervical, inguinal and bronchial lymph nodes (BLN) and in the spleen were determined by FACS analysis. RESULTS: Prophylactic INT with OVA induced T cell tolerance towards subsequent OVA s.c. immunizations, inhibiting OVA specific T cell proliferation, IgE and IgG1 production, in contrast to INT with OVAp, which was unable to induce tolerance. In vivo analysis of transferred OVA-specific TCR Tg T cells showed that INT with OVA induced a preferential activation of T cells in BLN, as opposed to a broad, systemic activation with OVAp. In vivo, OVAp INT led to faster and more sustained cell division cycles than OVA INT. Ex vivo, tolerance to OVA was associated with the generation of IL-10 secreting CD4(+) T cells in BLN of OVA-treated mice only. CONCLUSION: INT with OVA but not with OVAp led to regional (as opposed to systemic) T cell activation and the induction of IL-10 secreting CD4(+) T cells in BLN, potentially critical steps in the induction of T cell-specific tolerance via the nasal route.     

3D kinematic analysis of the acromioclavicular joint during arm abduction using vertically open MRI.

Many researchers have evaluated the motions of the shoulder girdle, especially scapular and humeral motion. However, few reports exist that describe motions of the acromioclavicular joint. The purpose of the present study was to analyze the 3D kinematics of the acromioclavicular joint during arm abduction using 3D MR images obtained by a vertically open MRI. Fourteen shoulders of seven volunteers were examined in seven static positions from 0 degrees to the maximum abduction in a seated position. 3D surface models of the clavicle and scapula were created, and the movements of the acromioclavicular joint from 0 degrees to each position were calculated using the volume-based registration technique. From these calculations, the translations were evaluated and the rotational motions were analyzed using the concept of the screw axis. In the anteroposterior direction, the clavicle translated most posteriorly (-1.9 +/- 1.3 mm) at 90 degrees of abduction and most anteriorly (1.6 +/- 2.7 mm) at maximum abduction. In the superoinferior direction, the clavicle translated slightly superiorly (0.9 +/- 1.9 mm). When analyzing relative motion of the scapula with respect to the clavicle, the scapula generally rotated about a specific screw axis passing through the insertions of both the acromioclavicular and the coracoclavicular ligaments on the coracoid process. The average rotation was 34.9 +/- 8.4 degrees.     

不明原因复发性流产患者子宫内膜/早孕蜕膜组织HOXA-1O基因的表达

目的探讨不明原因复发性流产（URSA）与子宫内膜／早孕蜕膜组织HOXA-10基因表达的关系。方法采用原位杂交技术，以HOXA-10反义核苷酸为探针检测51例URSA患者及38例正常生育（NF）组的分泌期子宫内膜／早孕蜕膜组织HOXA-10mRNA的表达水平，并以灰度阳性单位（PU值）表示。结果NF组子宫内膜分泌早期HOXA-10mRNA表达的PU值腺体为（6．66±0．11），间质为（6．76±0．15）；分泌中期分别为（10．95±0．90）及（11．46±1．08）；分泌晚期分别为（11．05±1．12）及（11．54±1．10）；蜕膜组织分别为（11．55±1．14）及（11．93±1．92）；分泌中晚期及蜕膜组织的Pu值显著高于分泌早期。URSA组不同时期子宫内膜及早孕蜕膜组织中HOXA-10mRNA的表达水平基本一致，无明显的分泌中晚期及早孕期峰，并且分泌中晚期及早孕蜕膜组织的PU值明显低于NF同期组。两组各期腺体和间质的PU值无显著差异。结论子宫内膜HOXA-10基因在分泌中晚期及早孕蜕膜组织中的高表达可能和孕卵着床及妊娠维持密切相关，其表达缺陷可能是导致URSA发生的重要原因之一。     

Recommendations for the topical treatment of psoriasis

Several topical treatments are available for patients with psoriasis. Although individualization of the treatment remains important, there is a need for treatment recommendations to identify the best treatment out of the available treatments and to help with improvement in treatment compliance. In this communication we give our views on the assessment of severity of psoriasis. We provide recommendations for selection of treatments, reconciling the clearance phase and the long‐term management. Finally, we provide recommendations for the treatment of particular localizations: the scalp and psoriasis at sensitive sites.     

长链核酸扩增技术评价病毒灭活效果的研究

目的:探讨用长链核酸扩增技术评价病毒灭活效果的可行性.方法:针对伪狂犬病毒(pseudorabies virus,PRV)糖蛋白gD基因前后的保守区设计预计产物长短不一的5对引物,用半巢式PCR技术扩增经低pH法(4.0±0.1)、巴氏消毒法[(60±1.0)℃]和s/D法(有机溶剂/洗涤荆)处理后的PRV核酸,同时以细胞感染法做平行对照.结果:低pH对PRV核酸有破坏作用,处理时间越长,核酸损伤程度越明显,处理60 min时,6.62 lgTCID50的PRV完全被灭活.5条不同长度PCR扩增产物中,只有3.9 kb的长片段检出与细胞培养结果一致.7.25 lgTCID50的PRV经(60±1.0)℃处理20 min后即被完全灭活,7.13 lgTCID50的PRV经s/D法处理1 h后被完全灭活,但各长度核酸片段扩增均为阳性,与细胞感染试验结果不符.结论:低pH对PRV核酸的损伤程度随处理时间的延长而增加;用长链PCR(3.9 kb)技术来评价经低pH法灭活病毒的效果是可行的,而该法不适合评价巴氏消毒法和S/D法灭活病毒的效果.