Earthworm biomarker responses on exposure to commercial cypermethrin

Cypermethrin is a synthetic pyrethroid insecticide used worldwide in agriculture, home pest control, disease vector control, and food safety. It accumulates in soil. Therefore, traces of cypermethrin may frequently appear in vegetables grown in contaminated soil. There is a push now to develop biomarkers as early warning indicators of environmental pollution. In this study, DNA damage (tail DNA%, tail length, and olive tail moment), the micronucleus, neutral red retention (NRR) time, and pinocytic adherence ability of coelomocytes were investigated in Pheretima peguana earthworms exposed to cypermethrin in filter paper tests. The NRR time of earthworm coelomocytes decreased significantly at a concentration of 3.5 × 10^?3 µg · cm^?2 (1/100 LC₅₀) after 48 h exposure, with a highly negative correlation with cypermethrin concentration. Pinocytic adherence ability of coelomocytes also declined significantly at a cypermethrin concentration of 3.5 × 10^?2 µg · cm^?2 (1/10 LC₅₀). The DNA damage to earthworm coelomocytes (tail DNA%, tail length, and olive tail moment) increased considerably at the highest concentration (3.5 × 10^?1 µg · cm^?2) although the correlation between tail DNA% and cypermethrin concentration was low. Thus, physiological biomarkers were more sensitive than the genotoxic effects in earthworms exposed to commercial cypermethrin. Although a suite of earthworm biomarkers could be used to evaluate cypermethrin terrestrial pollution, the NRR test is easier to conduct and a more sensitive indicator. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 30: 597–606, 2015.     

探索血清标本溶血对部分生化检验结果的影响

目的探索血清标本溶血对部分生化检验结果的影响。方法随机选取50例正常健康人群,提取人群血液作为标本,测定溶血前后总蛋白(TP)、丙氨酸氨基转移酶(ALT)、天门冬氨酸氨基转移酶(AST)、总胆红素(TBIL)、肌酸激酶(CK)、乳酸脱氢酶(LDH),γ-谷氨酰转肽酶(γ-GT)、清蛋白(ALB)、直接胆红素(DBIL)、总胆固醇(TC)、高密度脂蛋白(HDL)、低密度脂蛋白(LDL)以及三酰甘油(TG)的变化,分析其差异。结果采血器械质量差以及采血方法不规范是造成标本溶血的主要原因。溶血后AST、ALT、LDH、TP、CK、γ-GT较溶血前升高,差异具有统计学意义(P<0.05)。TBIL、DBIL、TC、TG、ALB、HDL、LDL较溶血前变化不具有统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论标本溶血对于血清AST、ALT、CK、TP、γ-GT、LDH会有干扰作用,在分析测定结果时需要注意标本是否溶血。     

Computer-Aided Methodology for Syndromic Strabismus Diagnosis

Strabismus is a pathology that affects approximately 4 % of the population, causing aesthetic problems reversible at any age and irreversible sensory alterations that modify the vision mechanism. The Hirschberg test is one type of examination for detecting this pathology. Computer-aided detection/diagnosis is being used with relative success to aid health professionals. Nevertheless, the routine use of high-tech devices for aiding ophthalmological diagnosis and therapy is not a reality within the subspecialty of strabismus. Thus, this work presents a methodology to aid in diagnosis of syndromic strabismus through digital imaging. Two hundred images belonging to 40 patients previously diagnosed by an specialist were tested. The method was demonstrated to be 88 % accurate in esotropias identification (ET), 100 % for exotropias (XT), 80.33 % for hypertropias (HT), and 83.33 % for hypotropias (HoT). The overall average error was 5.6Δ and 3.83Δ for horizontal and vertical deviations, respectively, against the measures presented by the specialist.     

Scrub typhus: Clinical spectrum and outcome

Background:

Scrub typhus is one of the differential diagnoses for fever with thrombocytopenia. ARDS associated with Scrub typhus has high morbidity and mortality.

Aims:

To evaluate clinical features, lab values, and outcome in patients with scrub typhus and comparison in patients with or without ARDS.

Methods:

A prospective observational study was conducted on 109 patients with febrile illness and thrombocytopenia during a period of 12 months. All 109 patients were tested with both Immune-chromatography test and Weil felix test. Patients having either Immune-chromatography test/Weil felix test positive have been included and considered as scrub typhus positive whereas negative for both Immune-chromatography and Weil felix test were excluded. Clinical features, lab parameters, and outcome were evaluated in all patients with scrub typhus. Statistical analysis used in this study was T-test.

Results:

Among 58 patients who were included (After exclusion of 51 patients among total of 109 patients) 34 patients had no ARDS and 24 patients had ARDS. The clinical feature like dyspnoea, cough, low blood pressure (MAP<65 mmHg), IVC collapsibility (by ultrasound) and laboratory parameters like decreased Hemoglobin, Hematocrit, Serum albumin, and increased serum creatinine, serum total bilirubin, SGOT, SGPT, LDH, CPK, and serum lactate were statistically significant (P < 0.0001) in scrub typhus patients group with ARDS. The higher titers of Weil-felix can be correlated with more severe form of disease according to our observation. All 34 Scrub typhus patients without ARDS recovered completely. Among 24 Scrub typhus patients with ARDS, 22 patients recovered, and 2 patients died.

Conclusion:

Scrub typhus is an important differential diagnosis in a patients having fever with thrombocytopenia. Scrub typhus associated with ARDS has high morbidity and mortality. Early diagnosis and treatment with doxycycline can prevent the occurrence of ARDS     

采用不同方法检测幽门螺杆菌的感染情况

目的 探讨几种不同方法检测幽门螺杆菌感染的临床效果,分析幽门螺杆菌感染与性别、年龄及疾病的相关性.方法 选取2012年8月至2014年8月在我院消化科门诊就诊的806例患者,分别采用尿素呼气试验法,免疫胶体金法以及病理组织切片染色镜检进行检测,以尿素呼气试验法作为金标准,比较免疫胶体金法与病理组织切片染色镜检法检测Hp的阳性预期值、阴性预期值、敏感度、特异性并比较不同性别、不同年龄及不同疾病Hp的感染率.结果 Hp检出率为37.5％,其中男性感染率为37.3％,女性为37.7％,差异无统计学意义(P＞0.05);随着年龄增长Hp感染率有升高趋势,差异有统计学意义(P＜0.05);确诊为慢性胃炎、消化性溃疡、胃息肉、胃癌的Hp感染率分别为48.6％、50.2％、21.6％、13.8％,慢性胃病的发生与幽门螺杆菌感染有一定的关联.免疫胶体金法以及病理组织切片染色镜检的敏感度分别为83.77％、93.05％,特异性分别为75.20％、83.53％,阳性预期值分别为66.93％、77.20％,阴性预期值为分别为88.55％、95.25％.结论 胶体金法适用于大批量的流行病学调查,病理组织切片染色镜检敏感性高,可作为Hp感染筛查的方法之一.Hp感染率与年龄、疾病种类相关,与性别无关,为幽门螺杆菌感染的流行病学资料提供依据.     

313例尿培养病原菌分布及耐药性分析

目的分析313例清洁中段尿培养菌株构成及耐药性分析,为医师合理规范使用抗生素提供依据。方法对医院2012年6月~2013年5月住院泌尿系感染患者尿培养分离出的313株病原菌用法国梅里埃公司VITEK 2 COMPACT全自动微生物鉴定药敏检测系统仪进行鉴定和药敏试验。结果共培养1804份中段尿标本,分离出313例病原微生物,阳性率17.35%。其中革兰阴性杆菌、革兰阳性球菌、真菌、革兰阳性杆菌分别占65.50%、19.81%、7.35%、7.35%。大肠埃希菌仍是泌尿系感染的主要致病菌,其次为肺炎克雷伯杆菌、阴沟肠杆菌、铜绿假单胞菌、奇异变形菌;其中产超广谱β-内酰胺酶(ESBLs)大肠埃希菌占大肠埃希菌41.94%;而在革兰阳性菌中以肠球菌属为主。检出耐亚胺培南的肺炎克雷伯菌1株,耐碳青霉烯类阴沟肠杆菌2株,耐万古霉素屎肠球菌1例。结论泌尿系感染常见病原菌仍为大肠埃希菌,临床应根据尿培养及药敏试验结果有针对性筛选敏感药物进行治疗。     

40例癫?患者术前韦达试验的结果分析

目的：探讨癫?患者术前行韦达试验（Wada test）检测的意义。方法：回顾性分析广东三九脑科医院2012年2月～2013年10月收治的40例癫?患者术前治疗韦达试验检测结果。结果：在临床上诊断的40例癫?患者中,左利手3例,右利手37例。韦达试验结果,37例患者可以正确判断出语言及记忆优势半球,3例患者无法判断出语言及记忆优势半球。左侧大脑半球为语言、记忆优势半球的患者30例;双侧均参与语言功能的患者1例,左侧为语言优势半球,双侧记忆无侧别优势的患者4例;左侧为语言优势半球,双侧均有记忆代偿能力1例;右侧为语言、记忆优势半球7例;右侧为语言优势半球,双侧语言独立的患者1例;双侧均有记忆代偿能力的患者4例;双侧语言独立,双侧大脑半球无记忆侧别优势1例。39例患者可以判断运动功能的侧别,1例患者因麻醉药物过敏试验被迫中途终止。上述临床检测的结果分析,韦达试验术前评估患者语言及记忆功能优势侧半球及肢体肌力有效率达90％以上,具有很高的临床意义。结论：韦达试验是癫?术前评估患者语言及记忆功能优势侧半球及肢体肌力的重要手段,以及预测癫?术后患者语言、记忆及肢体功能的残疾程度,评估癫?手术可能风险,有利于癫?患者选择正确的治疗方式。     

Gas Exchange and Ventilatory Efficiency During Exercise in Pulmonary Vascular Diseases

Background and ObjectiveVentilatory inefficiency (high V′_E/V′CO₂) and resting hypocapnia are common in pulmonary vascular disease and are associated with poor prognosis. Low resting PaCO₂ suggests increased chemosensitivity or an altered PaCO₂ set-point. We aimed to determine the relationships between exercise gas exchange variables reflecting the PaCO₂ set-point, exercise capacity, hemodynamics and V′_E/V′CO₂.MethodsPulmonary arterial hypertension (n = 34), chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH, n = 19) and pulmonary veno-occlusive disease (PVOD, n = 6) patients underwent rest and peak exercise arterial blood gas measurements during cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Patients were grouped according to resting PaCO₂: hypocapnic (PaCO₂ ≤34 mmHg) or normocapnic (PaCO₂ 35–45 mmHg). The PaCO₂ set-point was estimated by the maximal value of end-tidal PCO₂ (maximal P_ETCO₂) between the anaerobic threshold and respiratory compensation point.ResultsThe hypocapnic group (n = 39) had lower resting cardiac index (3.1 ±0.8 vs. 3.7 ±0.7 L/min/m², p < 0.01), lower peak V′O₂ (15.8 ± 3.5 vs. 20.7 ± 4.3 mL/kg/min, p < 0.01), and higher V′_E/V′CO₂ slope (60.6 ± 17.6 vs. 38.2 ± 8.0, p < 0.01). At peak exercise, hypocapic patients had lower PaO₂, higher V_D/V_T and higher P_(a-ET)CO₂. Maximal P_ETCO₂ (r = 0.59) and V_D/V_T (r = −0.59) were more related to cardiac index than PaO₂ or PaCO₂ at rest or peak exercise. Maximal P_ETCO₂ was the strongest correlate of V′_E/V′CO₂ slope (r = −0.86), peak V′O₂ (r = 0.64) and peak work rate (r = 0.49).ConclusionsResting hypocapnia is associated with worse cardiac function, more ventilatory inefficiency and reduced exercise capacity. This could be explained by elevated chemosensitivity and lower PaCO₂ set-point. Maximal P_ETCO₂ may be a useful non-invasive marker of PaCO₂ setpoint and disease severity even with submaximal effort.     

Japanese family with congenital factor VII deficiency

Congenital factor VII (FVII) deficiency is a rare bleeding disorder with autosomal recessive inheritance. The present female patient was diagnosed with congenital FVII deficiency because of low hepaplastin test (HPT), although vitamin K was given. Heterozygous p.A191T mutation was detected in the peripheral blood, and the same mutation was also found in the mother and sister. To the best of our knowledge, this is the fourth reported case of p.A191T mutation of FVII in the literature and the first to be reported in Japan. FVII coagulation activity (FVII:C) in asymptomatic heterozygous carriers is mildly reduced. Therefore, some patients may not be accurately diagnosed with congenital FVII deficiency. In infants with low HPT without vitamin K deficiency, congenital FVII deficiency should be considered.