Geste antagonistes in idiopathic lower cranial dystonia.

Geste antagonistes, or sensory tricks, are well described in focal dystonia affecting the neck, hand, and face. Improvement in dystonic movements is typically maintained while the trick is performed, but disappears when the geste ends. We investigated the phenomenological features of geste antagoniste maneuvers in 19 patients with idiopathic lower cranial dystonia who were prospectively evaluated over a period of 6 years. Of the 19, 10 were men, mean age of onset was 49.8 years, and the most commonly involved lower cranial area was the jaw (10 patients). In most patients, dystonia was task-specific. Taking advantage of the improvement with a sensory geste, we manufactured oral appliances that mimicked the geste in 8 patients, and 3 continue to use it.     

Treatment of hepatitis B and C after liver transplantation. Part 2, hepatitis C

Abstract End-stage liver disease caused by the hepatitis C virus is a major indication for liver transplantation. However, recurrence of hepatitis in the graft is a major issue. HCV re-infection after transplantation is almost constant, and recent data confirm that it significantly impairs patient and graft survival. Factors that may influence disease severity and consequent progression of HCV graft injury remain unclear. Chronic HCV infection develops in 60%–80% of patients, and 6%–28% ultimately progress to cirrhosis within 5 years. Pre-transplantation antiviral treatment is not easily related to poor tolerance. Attempts to administer prophylactic post-transplantation antiviral treatment are under evaluation but are limited by antiviral drug side effects. Treatment of established graft lesions with interferon or ribavirin as single agents has been disappointing. Combination therapy gave promising results, with sustained virological response in 25% of patients, but indications, modality and duration of treatment should be assessed.     

浅谈基因治疗的现状及其面临的困境

基因治疗将在未来的疾病治疗中扮演重要的角色，然而这一新颖的技术却面临着诸多问题，本文论述了基因治疗的发展现状及其所面临的技术难题。     

大黄(庶虫)虫丸治疗囊肿性痤疮的临床疗效评价

目的　观察大黄虫丸治疗囊肿性痤疮的临床疗效。　方法　选择囊肿性痤疮患者 33 例做为治疗组,给予口服大黄虫丸治疗,观察并记录结果。　结果　治疗的总有效率为 90 9%,对照组(P<0 05)。　结论　大黄虫丸对囊肿性痤疮有较好的临床疗效。     

Changes in the Eeg Background Activity of Children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia During Cytotoxic Therapy

Thirteen children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) were investigated before and during cytotoxic therapy. EEG findings were correlated with the clinical course and the therapy protocol and compared with normal data obtained from 295 healthy children. Frequency analysis of the background activity of the EEG revealed an initial slowing of the background activity prior to therapy and further slowing each time a combination of vincristine (VCR), daunorubicine (DAU) or adriblastine (ADR), prednisone (FRED), and L-asparaginase (L-ASP) was administered. The slowing of the background activity correlated only with the administration of these drugs. DAU, ADR, and FRED are not known to influence the EEG; therefore, VCR and L-ASP remain the primary candidates responsible for the central nervous system alteration.     

TAD方案治疗急性非淋巴细胞白血病疗效的评价

采用 TAD 方案治疗急性非淋巴细胞性白血病(ANLL)12例,年龄17～47岁。总有效率为66.7%,完全缓解率(CR)为41.7%。5例获 CR 的时间是26～66天,平均53天,较国内其它方案为快。CR 时间为2～9月,平均6.2月,较其它方案又较短。TAD 方案对心脏的毒性作用轻微。TAD 方案对5例获 CR 者,于诱导治疗第一疗程后,除1例外,骨髓中白血病细胞百分比下降均不明显;但于第二疗程后,白血病细胞全部减少到骨髓有核细胞总数的20%/以下,这种现象似可作为本方案预后的观察指标。     

Natural killer cell activity and quality of life were improved by consumption of a mushroom extract, Agaricus blazei Murill Kyowa, in gynecological cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy

A mushroom extract, Agaricus blazei Murill Kyowa (ABMK), has been reported to possess antimutagenic and antitumor effects. Here, we investigate the beneficial effects of ABMK consumption on immunological status and qualities of life in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. One hundred cervical, ovarian, and endometrial cancer patients were treated either with carboplatin (300 mg / m(2)) plus VP16 (etoposide, 100 mg / m(2)) or with carboplatin (300 mg / m(2)) plus taxol (175 mg / m(2)) every 3 weeks for at least three cycles with or without oral consumption of ABMK. We observed that natural killer cell activity was significantly higher in ABMK-treated group (ANOVA, n = 39, P < 0.002) as compared with nontreated placebo group (n = 61). However, no significant difference in lymphokine-activated killer and monocyte activities was observed in a manner similar to the count of specific immune cell populations between ABMK-treated and nontreated groups. However, chemotherapy-associated side effects such as appetite, alopecia, emotional stability, and general weakness were all improved by ABMK treatment. Taken together, this suggests that ABMK treatment might be beneficial for gynecological cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.     

The Last 5 Years of Basic Science Investigation in Transplant Immunology

Many new insights have been gained over the past 5 years into the mechanisms that regulate immune reactivity to cell and organ transplants. This new knowledge is being applied to the development of innovative experimental strategies that may soon be evaluated in the clinic.