MR appearances of urinary bladder in amyloidosis associated with multiple myeloma

Amyloidosis led to thickening of the urinary bladder wall, with hypointensity in T2-weighted images, which was distinguished from multiple myeloma involvement. Received: 3 April 1995/Accepted: 7 August 1995     

Renal Effects of Multiple Infusion of Pyridoxalated-Hemoglobin-Polyoxyethylene Conjugate (PHP) Solution in Dogs

Abstract: Pyridoxalated-hemoglobin-polyoxyethylene conjugate (PHP), which is made from out-dated human red blood cells by two major chemical modifications, namely pyridoxalation and conjugation with polyoxyethylene (POE), is currently under development as a physiological oxygen carrier. This study assessed the effects of PHP-88 solution, which contains 8% (wt/vol) each of hemoglobin (Hb) and maltose, on renal function when it was infused 3 times every other day into the intact circulation of 8 dogs (5 dogs for the PHP group and 3 for the control group; 20 ml/kg for the first infusion, and 10 ml/kg each for the second and third infusions, at the rate of 2.5 ml/h/kg). Serial determinations of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and renal plasma flow (RPF) were carried out pre- and postinfusion for up to 3 months along with measurements of blood and urine analyses, urine output rate, fractional excretion of sodium (FES), and free water clearance (C_H2O). The results showed that plasma colloid osmotic pressure (COP) elevated an average of 3.3 mm Hg (p = 0.0085), and GFR and RPF tended to increase by 13% (NS) and 38% (NS), respectively, immediately after the third infusion with PHP solution. Urine output rate increased during and after the infusion, and FES and C_H2O also increased for 24 h after the infusion in both groups. Blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, and serum Na⁺ concentrations were not affected greatly by the infusions, but hematocrit was decreased by 8% in the PHP group, indicating approximately a 42% expansion of plasma volume. These changes were observed to return to their preinfusion levels by 1 week postinfusion. Renal histology of the PHP group obtained at 2 weeks postinfusion revealed vacuole formation in the proximal tubules which was not associated with any pathologic changes indicative of cell death or regeneration. In 4 out of 5 dogs at 3 months postinfusion (necropsy), the vacuoles were not present. Though urinary N-acetyl β-glucosaminidase (NAG) activity had significantly increased after infusion, it returned to the preinfusion level by 1 month postinfusion. No detrimental effect of vacuoles on the assessed renal tubular functions was confirmed in the present study. The result demonstrated that multiple infusions of PHP solutions were well tolerated in normal dogs, and the observed effects were conceived predominantly attributable to the physiological response of the kidneys to an oncotic load into the circulation, which produced plasma volume expansion.     

高容量血液滤过治疗多器官功能障碍综合征的分析

目的研究高容量血液滤过 (HVHF)在多器官功能障碍综合征 (MODS)治疗中的作用。方法 19例MODS患者 ,随机选择 10例行HVHF ,另 9例行常规连续性静脉 静脉血液滤过 (CVVH)。于治疗前和治疗开始后 2、4、8h动脉采血 ,检测血气、血肌酐 (Scr)、尿素氮 (BUN)、肿瘤坏死因子(TNFα)、白细胞介素 1(IL 1β)、白细胞介素 6 (IL 6 )的变化。 结果HVHF组与CVVH组于治疗开始后4h血Scr、BUN均显著下降 ,肾功能改善。HVHF组血TNFα、IL 1β、IL 6治疗前分别为 ( 1795± 5 0 6 )ng/L、( 96 4± 185 )ng/L、( 1332± 4 15 )ng/L ,治疗开始后 4h为 ( 12 6 5± 397)ng/L、( 5 11± 12 4 )ng/L、( 72 6±2 4 3)ng/L ,差异有显著意义 ,P <0 0 5。CVVH组血TNFα治疗前为 ( 1799± 5 11)ng/L ,治疗开始后 4h为 ( 132 7± 4 2 1)ng/L ,差异有显著意义 ,P <0 0 5。HVHF组死亡 3例 ( 3/ 10 ) ,CVVH组死亡 5例 ( 5 / 9) ,差异有显著意义 ,P <0 0 5。结论HVHF可通过对流和AN6 9膜的吸附作用清除大量炎症介质 ,改善MODS患者的预后     

气象因素与霍乱发病关系的生态学研究

目的探讨气象因素与霍乱发病的关系.方法将绍兴地区1991～2001年霍乱各年6～11月份月平均发病率数据进行正态化处理后,再利用方差分析、回归分析对可能影响霍乱发病的气温、气压、相对湿度、日照时数、降水量等5项研究变量进行单因素相关分析和多元逐步回归分析.结果霍乱的发病与气温呈显著性正相关,与气压呈显著性负相关.结论霍乱发病与高气温、低气压有关.     

Chromatic pattern-reversal electroretinograms (ChPERGs) are spared in multiple system atrophy compared with Parkinson’s disease

Abstract Idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (IPD) patients have abnormal visual evoked potentials (VEPs) and pattern electroretinograms (PERGs), attributed to dopaminergic transmission deficiency in visual pathway, probably the retina. VEP abnormalities are not reported in multiple system atrophy (MSA). The aim of this study was to investigate and compare chromatic (Ch) red-green (R-G) and blue-yellow (B-Y), and luminance yellow-black (Y-Bk) PERGs in patients with MSA and IPD. We investigated 6 MSA patients (mean age: 62±7.4 years) not undergoing any pharmacological treatment, as well as 12 early IPD patients (mean age: 60.1±8.3 years) and 12 age-matched normal observers. ChPERGs were recorded monocularly in response to full-field equiluminant R-G, B-Y and Y-Bk horizontal gratings. In MSA only responses to R-G stimuli showed minimal insignificant changes (slight but not significant amplitude reduction without any significant latency delay); no significant abnormality was detected for B-Y and luminance Y-Bk stimuli. By contrast, in IPD all responses were reduced in amplitude and delayed in latency, above all for B-Y stimuli. Present data indicate that both chromatic and achromatic PERGs are virtually unaffected in MSA, whereas in early IPD they are clearly impaired, suggesting different pathogenic retinal mechanisms and a useful simple tool for distinguishing MSA from IPD.     

Monocytes in active multiple sclerosis: intact regulation of HLA-DR density in vitro despite decreased HLA-DR density in vivo

HLA-DR expression on circulating monocytes varies as a function of disease activity in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), a putative immunopathological demyelinating disorder. Specifically, monocytes isolated from subjects with active MS exhibit reduced HLA-DR antigen density, and immunoregulatory aberrations such as impaired T lymphocyte-mediated suppression correlate strongly with this quantitative defect. To address the mechanism underlying this phenomenon, we compared in vitro regulation of HLA-DR by interferon beta (IFN beta), interferon gamma (IFN gamma), and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in monocytes from patients with stable and active MS and normal individuals. Interferon-gamma and LPS enhanced monocyte expression of HLA-DR equally in both MS patient groups, suggesting that underexpression of HLA-DR in active MS was not explained by impaired in vivo monocyte responsiveness. Furthermore, interferon regulation of HLA-DR in normals and stable MS subjects was indistinguishable, indicating that aberrant interferon-mediated regulation of class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) on circulating monocytes does not appear to be a characteristic of the MS disease state.     

Human spumaretrovirus antibody reactivity in multiple sclerosis

The role of human spumaretrovirus (HSRV) infections in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS) was investigated with recombinant HSRV env-specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The presence of HSRV antibodies was determined in pairs of serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from 60 MS patients. In 7 of these patients serial serum and CSF samples were obtained in relation to the clinical activity of the disease during a period of 2 years. No increased antibody reactivity was demonstrable in the MS population compared with 14 aseptic meningitis patients, 50 blood donors and 16 healthy controls. Slightly elevated levels of antibodies were demonstrable in serum and/or CSF in 4 MS patients but also in 1 patient with aseptic meningitis, 1 blood donor and 1 child. No marked serum or CSF HSRV antibody fluctuation was observed in the MS patients followed longitudinally. Thus, this study does not support the involvement of HSRV in the pathogenesis of MS.     

Attitudes of the 1984 medical graduates of Sri Lanka to anaesthesia

A total of 196 intern medical officers who had graduated from the four medical schools in Sri Lanka in 1984 indicated their attitudes towards anaesthesia as a medical specialty in response to a postal questionnaire. Eighty per cent of the graduates considered anaesthesia to be an established specialty in Sri Lanka, while 17% felt that the specialty had limited clinical application. A total of 62% of the graduates were not aware, prior to their entry to medical school, that anaesthesia was related to medical practice. All the graduates indicated that the intra-operative role of the anaesthetist was on a par with that of the surgeon, but 40% felt that the pre- and post-operative roles were of a secondary nature. Overall, 42% considered that an anaesthetist acts as an assistant to the surgeon. The graduates were of the opinion that only 35% of the patients undergoing surgery were appreciative of the services rendered by an anaesthetist. Fifty per cent of the graduates considered exposure to the specialty in the undergraduate curriculum as inadequate. Anaesthesia was chosen as the first career preference by 1.5%. The dominant reasons for not selecting anaesthesia as a career specialty were: minimal patient contact and patient recognition (62%), and lack of recognition of the specialty by society (54%). Anaesthetists in Sri Lanka are challenged to alter the perceptions associated with the specialty, which are probably a result of chronic staff shortages restricting practice to the confines of operating theatres.     

结节性硬化症多器官损害7例报告

目的探讨结节性硬化症多器官损害的临床特点以提高诊断治疗水平。方法回顾性分析7例结节性硬化症伴皮肤、大脑、肾脏、肝脏等多器官损害患者的临床资料,探讨其特征性临床表现及影像学改变。结果7例患者均有多器官损害,累及两个器官3例,3个及以上器官损害4例;皮肤损害主要为面部血管纤维瘤6例,皮肤色素脱失斑7例,鲨鱼皮斑3例,趾甲下纤维瘤1例;癫痫发作6例,智力低下4例,颅脑CT或MRI检查提示室管膜下结节4例,皮质结节2例;4例合并双侧肾脏多发错构瘤,1例合并肝脏错构瘤。结论特殊的皮肤损害、癫痫发作、智力低下,脑CT或MRI检查提示室管膜下结节或皮质结节或内脏多发性错构瘤为本病的主要临床特征,提高本病的认识有助于早期诊断和治疗。     

Ethanol and nicotine consumption and preference in transgenic mice overexpressing the bovine growth hormone gene

Transgenic mice overexpressing the phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase/bovine growth hormone (PEPCK/ bGH) hybrid gene and normal (nontransgenic) littermate controls (10 males + 10 females/group) were given access to tapwater and an ascending series of concentrations of ethanol (1.0–22.0%), then a similar ascending series of concentrations of nicotine (1.0–40.0 μg/ml), in a two-bottle choice test. Male transgenic mice consumed more and exhibited greater preferences for ethanol and nicotine than control males; transgenic females consumed less and showed lower preferences for ethanol, but not nicotine, than control females. These results suggest that chronic exposure to high levels of bGH may modulate the rewarding effects of ethanol and nicotine in mice in a gender-specific fashion.