A study of street heroin lots for the presence of the hepatitis B surface antigen

Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) of subtype ay predominates among narcotic addicts infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV) in Europe, Australia and the United States. However, the ad subtype predominates among the non-addict carriers of HBsAg. We investigated the possibility that heroin lots were contaminated with HBV at a source of opium production, the Middle East, a geographical region where HBsAg/ay predominates in the general population. One hundred and nine lots of street heroin were assayed for HBsAg by radioimmunoassay. None of the lots tested was reproduceably HBsAg positive. These results suggest that the heroin itself is not responsible for the high incidence of HBV infection or for the predominance of HBsAg/ ay in the addict population. The predominance of HBsAg/ay among addicts in Europe and Australia as well as the United States might be due to extensive needle sharing among a mobile population of drug abusers, although such worldwide dissemination of one subtype by these means is unlikely.     

Incorporation of stainless steel, titanium and Vitallium in bone

Operative trauma, implant instability and corrosion are recognized as aetiological factors in the production of the soft-tissue capsule often present round a metal implant in bone. In the present experimental study, the isolated effect of corrosion was evaluated under standardized experimental conditions where operative trauma was minimal and implant movement was negligible.

The reaction of bone to stainless steel, titanium and Vitallium was studied by histological and biomechanical methods, and compared to that provoked by copper. No soft-tissue capsule was found round the modern materials, but copper gave rise to a marked tissue reaction.

It is concluded that atraumatic operative techniques and implant immobility are more effective for stable incorporation of metallic implants in bone than the nature of the implant itself, provided that one of the modern, low-corrosive metals or alloys is used.     

Anti-ganglioside antibodies in multiple sclerosis

Serological activity against several purified brain gangliosides has been demonstrated in sera of a proportion of multiple sclerosis patients, but not in normal individuals. The activity was determined by the capacity of the sera to bring about complement-dependent lysis of liposomes containing the respective ganglioside in their lipid bilayer. An apparent correlation is indicated between the severity of the disease and the extent of liposome lysis. Cerebrospinal fluid of the patients did not induce lysis, probably due to low antibody concentration.     

Tolerance to ethanol and treatment of its abuse: Some fundamental issues

Although a great deal is known about the phenomenon of alcohol tolerance and its underlying mechanisms, the implications of this knowledge for the development of treatments have yet to be explored. This paper describes some theoretical considerations that must be taken into account in relating tolerance to the treatment enterprise. An appreciation of the distinction between problems of acute intoxication and the pathophysiological consequences of inveterate drinking is critical.     

Practical classification of chin deformities

A visually pleasing chin is an important component of facial harmony. This study was undertaken to introduce a practical classification of chin dysmorphology, which can be used to guide the surgeon toward the appropriate surgical approach to chin repair. Analysis of life-size photography, based on standard anthropometric measurements, was completed on 2,879 patients from 1981 to 1991. Six hundred eighty-four patients were noted to have normal occlusion with some form of chin deformity. Analysis of this group of patients identified seven categories of chin dysmorphism: Class I, macrogenia (n = 170, 24.9%); Class II, microgenia (n = 435, 63.6%); Class III, combination of macrogenia in one direction and microgenia in the other direction (n = 54, 7.9%); Class IV, asymmetry (n = 4, 0.6%); Class V, soft tissue ptosis (witch's chin) (n = 13, 1.9%); Class VI, pseudomacrogenia (normal skeletal symphysis menti with excess soft tissue covering) (n = 5, 0.73%); and Class VII, pseudomicrogenia (long-face deformity producing clockwise rotation of the normal mandible) (n = 3, 0.4%). Having diagnosed the dysmorphism, logical surgical recommendations for lower face improvement were postulated. Only patients with Class II chin deformity can be corrected with augmentation. Classes I, III, and IV require an osteotomy of the chin. Classes V and VI benefit from soft tissue correction. Class VII deformity can be corrected with a maxillary osteotomy.     

血浆microRNA分子联合检测在前列腺癌中的诊断价值

目的: 分析前列腺癌患者血浆microRNA（miRNA）分子的差异表达,探索血浆miRNA分子联合检测在前列腺癌中的诊断潜能。 方法：应用GEO公共数据库筛选前列腺癌患者血浆及血清差异性表达的miRNA;收集上海市宝山区中西医结合医院诊治的前列腺癌患者、慢性前列腺炎患者以及健康体检人群血浆样本,采用反转录荧光定量PCR对候选血浆miRNA表达水平进行验证;应用受试者工作特征模型分析候选miRNA分子以及联合miRNA对前列腺癌的诊断价值。 结果：通过生物信息学分析,获得26个前列腺癌相关的差异miRNA分子,经NCC-AUC模型进一步筛选, miR-21-5p、miR-5189-5p和miR-6780a-5p以综合评分最高进入临床样本验证阶段。结果显示,血浆miR-21-5p在健康对照组、慢性前列腺炎组、前列腺癌组中依次升高,三组之间具有统计学差异（P<0.05）。慢性前列腺炎组血浆miR-5189-5p水平显著低于前列腺癌组与健康对照组（P<0.001）。血浆miR-6780a-5p在前列腺癌组的表达水平显著高于慢性前列腺炎组和健康对照组（P<0.001）。ROC模型显示,血浆miR-21-5p及miR-6780a-5p均有较好的诊断潜能（P<0.001）,曲线下面积AUC分别为0.695和0.787,敏感度分别为95.6%和64.45%,特异度为41.5%和81.7%。联合使用miR-21-5p和miR-6780a-5p诊断,AUC为0.830,敏感度和特异度分别为82.2%和74.4%,可有效提高诊断效能。 结论：血浆miR-21-5p、miR-6780a-5p均有成为前列腺癌诊断标志物的潜能,两者联合显著提高前列腺癌诊断效能。     

Avoidance facilitation by chlordiazepoxide-amphetamine combinations in mice: Effect of α-methyl-p-tyrosine

Chlordiazepoxide (CDP) and amphetamine (AMPH) were tested, alone or in combination, in BALB/c mice pretreated with -methyl-p-tyrosine (AMT) and subjected to shuttle-box avoidance training.CDP and AMPH, given alone, partly reversed avoidance depression induced by 50 mg/kg of AMT, but were ineffective in mice pretreated with 100 mg/kg of AMT. Stronger effects were produced by CDP-AMPH combinations, which also improved avoidance performance in mice pretreated with the higher dose of AMT.The results suggest that catecholamines may play a role in the facilitation of avoidance induced by CDP, especially when given in combination with AMPH.