Menstrual-Linked Asthma

This study was conducted to determine the occurrence of menstrual-linked asthma (MLA) in India in 100 consecutive female asthmatics in the reproductive age group. The patients were required to respond to a questionnaire concerning the relationship between their asthma and the menstrual cycle. Twenty-three patients had subjective perception of deterioration in symptoms of asthma in relation to the menstrual cycle. Ten patients from both groups were also required to maintain a daily peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) diary for 2 consecutive menstrual cycles. The mean total duration of illness in patients with MLA was significantly longer than in patients without cyclic exacerbation. Cough and breathlessness were also significantly more severe as was the disease. This was evidenced by the more frequent emergency room visits and hospitalizations in these patients. Menstrual-linked worsening of asthma was most common in the premenstrual week (17 patients). In 8 of these 17 patients, this phenomenon continued to occur during the menstrual week also. Interestingly, 1 patient complained of deterioration of asthma 2 days after menstruation was over. Such an observation is yet to be recorded. Fourteen patients reported an increase in symptoms with almost every cycle while 3 had worsening related to specific season only. Sixteen patients often required extra medication during the premenstrual and/or menstrual weeks. A significant association was also observed between severity of premenstrual syndrome and MLA. The mean PEFR values over 2 cycles revealed a significant fall in the morning as well as evening values in the premenstrual and menstrual weeks as compared to the midcycle week in patients with MLA. This fall was maximal in the premenstrual week. Such a fall was not observed in asthmatics without menstrual exacerbation of symptoms. MLA was detected in about a fourth of the female asthmatics in India and it appears to represent a more severe form of the disease. This study also documented that MLA was associated with an increase in airway resistance and was not simply due to an increased perception of symptoms during the premenstrual or menstrual weeks.     

Fear and the startle reflex: Blink modulation and autonomic response patterns in animal and mutilation fearful subjects

The present study was designed to examine the pattern of startle reflex modulation and autonomic responses for individuals high in animal or blood-injury fear when viewing pictures of their feared objects. Sixteen individuals in each fear group and 16 low-fear control individuals viewed 32 color slides depicting fear-relevant, unpleasant but fear-unrelated, neutral, and pleasant scenes. Free viewing times were assessed in a second phase of the procedure as an index of avoidance behavior. Exposure to pictures of feared objects resulted in a consistent startle reflex potentiation and behavioral avoidance in both fear groups. This activation of the basic aversive system was independent of the autonomic pattern of the fear responses, which differed for the high-fear groups. These results suggest that the probe startle response indexes the organism's basic motivational disposition and add new information to the assessment of fear.     

106Ru/106Rh plaque radiotherapy for malignant melanomas of the choroid

Therapeutic results are presented with follow-up examinations of at least 5 years (min. 5 years, max. 22 years) after ¹⁰⁶Ru/¹⁰⁶Rh plaque radiotherapy of posterior uveal melanomas. Out of 227 patients 146 (= 64.3%) could be treated successfully, 37 (= 16.3%) had to be enucleated and are alive, 44 (= 19.4%) died from metastases and 40 (17.6%) from other causes. 75.0% of all small melanomas (T1a) showed an excellent regression pattern to flat scars. Five years after treatment the survival rate was 83.7% (deaths from any causes) respectively 88.2% (deaths from metastases only) and 64.8% (deaths from any causes) respectively 79.7% (deaths from metastases only) ten years after irradiation. ¹⁰⁶Ru/¹⁰⁶Rh plaque radiotherapy can be recommended for small (Tla, b) and medium sized (T2) choroidal melanomas.     

A Novel Extravascular Input Function for the Assessment of Drug Absorption in Bioavailability Studies

Purpose. Flexible parametric models describing the input process after extravascular drug administration are needed for the assessment of absorption rate and the use of population methods in bioavailability and bioequivalence studies. Methods. The oral concentration-time curve modeled as the product of the input and disposition function in the Laplace domain was obtained by numerical inversion methods for parameter estimation. The utility of the inverse Gaussian input density was examined using bioavailability data of an extended-release dosage form. Measures of rate of absorption and the cumulative absorbed amount profile were defined in terms of the estimated model parameters. Results. Accurate estimation of absorption parameters was achieved by simultaneous fitting of the extravascular and intravascular data (describing the latter by a triexponential function). The new input function allowed a direct estimation of both extent of absorption and mean absorption time. Conclusions. The findings suggest that the inverse Gaussian density is a useful input function. Its flexibility may reduce the effect of model misspecification in parameter estimation. All parameters can be readily interpreted in terms of the absorption process.     

A群脑膜炎多糖菌苗接种前后流脑流行规律的改变及今后预防对策

本文研究了在使用菌苗预防前后的流行性脑脊髓膜炎流行强度的变迁，年龄、地区及季节分布特点，人群的易感性及带菌率之间的关系，并讨论了今后的预防措施。     

脂质体携载SOD的实验研究

本文采用去垢剂透析法成功制备出携载ＳＯＤ的脂质体（Ｌ－ＳＯＤ），其直径为１０２ｎｍ，对ＳＯＤ的包裹率为２１％，９０％以上酶活性存在于脂质体内部。将Ｌ－ＳＯＤ注射到大鼠静脉血中，其半衰期超过４ｈ，明显长于天然ＳＯＤ（８ｍｉｎ）。表明Ｌ－ＳＯＤ优于天然ＳＯＤ，具有临床应用前景。     

肠溶阿斯匹林剂量和血阿斯匹林及水杨酸盐浓度与药效关系探讨

本文探讨了ＡＳＡ剂量与药效的关系及血ＡＳＡ、ＳＡ药物浓度监测的临床意义，结果表明：（１）ＡＳＡ剂量与６－ｋｅｔｏ－ＰＧＦ_（１α）抑制率呈正相关（Ｐ＜０．０１），而与ＴＸＢ_２及ＰＡｇＲ抑制率无相关性（Ｐ＞０．１）；（２）本文采用ＨＰＬＣ内标法同时测定血ＡＳＡ和ＳＡ浓度，结果准确，方法简便；（３）当口服小剂量ＡＳＡ防治ＣＩ时，监测血ＡＳＡ和ＳＡ以调整ＡＳＡ用药剂量的临床价值并非十分重要。     

不同记忆负荷对事件相关电位—P300的影响

我们研究了不同记忆负荷条件下,ERP-P_(300)变化的规律性和特点及ERP-P_(300)与脑力负荷难度之间的关系。在三种脑力作业时,要求受试者记忆2、4、6位随机数字。结果表明,1、随着记忆数字增加,P_(300)波幅相应增大,三种记忆作业P_(300)波幅之间均有显著性差异。2、记忆错误率和记忆难度主观评价值,亦随着记忆数字增加而增大,且在三种记忆作业之间均有显著性差异。3、P_(300)波幅和记忆难度主观评价值之间相关分析表明呈正相关(P<0.01)。我们建议,P_(300)波幅测量可以作为评价脑力负荷的一项客观指标。     

A New Acceleration Driven Pacemaker: Rate Modulation Versus Normal Sinus Rhythm—Comparison During Treadmill Exercise

The pocing rate response of a new acceleration driven pulse generator (SWING 100, SORIN BIOMEDICA) was compared with simultaneous normal sinus rhythm (NSR) during two different treadmill exercises. This pacemaker has a gravitational acceleration sensor able to discriminate between physical activities and vibrations. Six healthy volunteers (three male, three female; aged 21.7 ± 4,3 years), with the pacemaker strapped to their right infraclavicular area, performed each test three times with different rise response curve (RRC) each time: fast, normal, and slow. The fall response curve used was the same as the rising one during each test. Pacing rates were recorded using the VEGA analyzer (SORIN BIOMEDICA) and compared with simultaneous NSR recorded by a 7-channel ECG recorder (MINGOGRAF 7, SIEMENS), During all tests immediate (within seconds) rapid increase in pacemaker rate was seen up to about 60 seconds, then a slower increase followed thereafter. The mean correlation between pacing rates and NSR during the Bruce tests were 0.7941 ± 0.10, 0.8562 ± 0.14, and 0.8292 ± 0.07; during the discontinous tests 0.7292 ± 0.16, 0.7233 ± 0.10, and 0.7480 ± 0.11 for fast, normal, and slow RRC, respectively. Each 30 seconds, nonsignificant differences were present between pacing rate and NSR during all the discontinuous tests; similar responses were observed only during the first two stages of Bruce tests after which NSR was significantly higher than pacemaker rates. The speed of rise to upper rate was the main difference between the different programs (fast, normal, and slow). The discontinuous tests showed that the pacemaker responds more to speed than to grade. In conclusion, the Swing pacemaker is easy to use and program, fast, reliable, and is able to mimic the normal sinus behavior especially during discontinuous activities.     

Infusion clearance of subcutaneous iothalamate versus standard renal clearance

 Accurate, timed urine collections for the measurement of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) may be impractical in infants or in patients with urological abnormalities. GFR may be measured without urine collection using a constant subcutaneous infusion of iothalamate. We compare the infusion clearance with conventional renal clearance in 14 children and young adults. The mean clearance ratio (infusion clearance/renal clearance ± 1 SD) was 0.99±0.1 and the mean discrepancy between the two methods was 8.5%±4.7%. The 95% limits of agreement for the ratio of the two methods are 0.83–1.23. These data indicate that subcutaneous infusion of iothalamate is a practical method for measuring GFR in children without a urine collection. Received March 18, 1996; received in revised form February 12, 1997; accepted March 26, 1997