Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis: the importance of early magnetic resonance imaging

The diagnosis of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) is frequently missed or delayed with consequent delay in instituting therapy in the crucial phase of the illness. The role of MRI in the diagnosis of ADEM is well established, however, the value of its early utilization of treatment on the outcome of patients has not been adequately stressed. Three patients with ADEM are described. Delay in the diagnosis of the first was associated with severe sequelae, while in the other two early diagnosis and institution of corticosteroid therapy which was facilitated by MRI, was associated with a better outcome. MRI should be carried out early once the diagosis of ADEM is entertained.     

Ritanserin in the treatment of alcohol dependence – a multi-center clinical trial

Four hundred and twenty-three alcohol dependent subjects were enrolled into a 12-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to determine the safety and efficacy of the 5-HT₂ receptor antagonist, ritanserin (2.5 mg/day or 5 mg/day), in reducing alcohol intake and craving. All subjects received 1 week of single-blind placebo prior to randomization into the 11-week double-blind phase. Additionally, all subjects received weekly individual sessions of manual-guided cognitive-behavioral therapy. Comparing the single-blind period with endpoint, there was approximately a 23% reduction in drinks/day; 34% fall in the total number of drinking days/week; 22% decrease in drinks/drinking day; and a 37% diminution in alcohol craving for all treatment groups. All treatment groups experienced a beneficial clinical outcome as assessed by the Clinical Global Impression Scale. There was, however, no significant difference between treatment groups on any of these measures of alcohol drinking, craving, or clinical outcome. Subjects were of relatively high social functioning at baseline, and this did not change significantly during treatment. Treatment groups did not differ significantly on either medication compliance or reported adverse events. Ritanserin treatment was associated with a dose-related prolongation of subjects’ QTc interval recording on the electrocardiogram. These results suggest that alcohol dependent subjects can show marked clinical improvement within a structured alcohol treatment program. These findings do not support an important role for ritanserin in the treatment of alcohol dependence. Received: 30 April 1996/Final version: 3 July 1996     

Role of intracortical mechanisms in the late part of the silent period to transcranial stimulation of the human motor cortex

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and transcranial electrical stimulation (TES) of the human motor cortex produce a silent period (SP) following motor evoked potentials (MEPs). The early part of the SP can be explained by decreased alpha motor neuron excitability, whereas the late part is presumably due to suprasegmental mechanisms. In order to determine the level of the suprasegmental contribution to the generation of SPs, we recorded excitatory and inhibitory responses to TMS, TES, and percutaneous electrical brainstem stimulation (PBS) in the voluntarily activated first dorsal interosseous muscle of the hand. Stimulus intensities were set so that PBS and TES induced MEPs with areas equal to or larger than those of MEPs obtained with TMS. This procedure revealed that SPs were 49% and 83% shorter with TES and PBS, respectively, than with TMS. As TMS is more effective than TES or PBS in activating cortical interneurons, these findings support the idea that a significant component of the SP arises from intracortical mechanisms.     

非脱垂子宫经腹、阴式全切除术临床比较

目的 探讨非脱垂子宫经阴道与经腹全切术的临床比较。方法 2000年5月～2001年1月对阴式子宫全切术 (TVH)28例及腹式子宫全切术 (TAH)35例分为两组进行手术 ,对临床指标进行观察比较。结果 28例TVH手术均成功。平均重量255g(120～510g)。与TAH手术比较 ,其术后病率、肛门排气时间及术后住院天数有显著性差异 ( p<0.001及 p<0.05) ,但其手术时间及术中出血量无显著性差异 ( p>0.05)。结论 随着微创手术的开展 ,利用阴道天然孔道 ,经阴道切除较大的子宫是有效和安全的 ,手术的成功与术者经验、技术及子宫活动度有关 ,有合适器械也是手术成功的因素。     

功能性消化不良与幽门螺杆菌关系探讨

功能性消化不良是一种人群中发病率很高的消化系统症状群，其发病机理未完全阐明，本文通过对２７４２例各类型功能性消化不良患者的胃粘膜的幽门螺杆菌感染情况作分析，发现动力障碍型ＨＰ阳性率６５．３％，溃疡型ＨＰ阳性率７４％，胃食管反流型ＨＰ阳性率２４％，特发型ＨＰ阳性率２１．４％，前两型与后两型的阳性率差异有显著性（Ｐ〈０．０５），而前两型之间阳性率差异无显著性（Ｐ〉０．０５），说明ＨＰ与动力障碍型和溃疡     

Constraints on Social Activities of Care-Givers: A Sociological Perspective

Newer policies of community care for those with disabilities have resulted in the home becoming the usual site of care. Policy makers must now give attention to the needs of those at home giving this care. This article explores the constraints on sociability opportunities of 73 mothers who were caring for children with disabilities. These opportunities are often built into leisure pursuits for women without caring responsibilities. However, choice of out-of-house leisure activity was circumscribed for the mothers in this study and their reported leisure activities revolved around home and neighbourhood. Even these sites offered limited scope for sociability because of the way in which caring affected domestic space and because of the characteristics of the modern Australian suburb. It is argued in this paper that personal time and personal domestic space are needed by care-givers so their sociability needs can be fulfilled. An understanding of the constraints imposed by use of the home as a place of care may make possible the planning of a rearrangement of domestic space to increase sociability opportunities for carers.     

Monolayer cultures of normal human bone cells contain multiple subpopulations of alkaline phosphatase positive cells

Summary Cytochemical staining of normal human bone cells in monolayer cultures for alkaline phosphatase (ALP) indicated that the cultures contained mixed-cell populations. Time course evaluations of the cytochemical staining revealed, in addition to the ALP-negative cell population, at least two subpopulations of ALP-positive human bone cells with different levels of ALP. A cytochemical method has been developed which separates the ALP-positive cells into high and intermediate ALP subpopulations. In this method, human bone cells were stained for ALP using an azo-dye method and incubating at 4°C for 10 and 30 minutes, respectively. We defined the cell population that stained positively for ALP at 10 minutes as strong ALP-positive cells, and both strong and intermediate cells were stained at 30 minutes. The intermediate cells were determined from the difference between the values at the two time points. The intra- and interassay variations of the assay, with the same investigator in blinded investigations, were both less than 10% and the interobserver variation was approximately 25%. Analysis of the distribution of ALP levels in cells with a laser densitometer confirmed the presence of at least three cell subpopulations. 1,25(OH)₂D₃ treatment increased the proportions of both ALP-positive cell populations, whereas TGF-beta treatment increased only the intermediate ALP-positive cell population. On the contrary, fluoride increased the proportion of the strong ALP cells, and IGF-1 had no effect on the proportions of either ALP-positive subpopulation. When the ALP-specific activity was compared with the percentage of each ALP-positive subpopulations for the cells treated with effectors, the ALP-specific activity correlated with the total ALP-positive and with the strong ALP-positive populations but not with the intermediate ALP-positive subpopulation. In summary, this study represents the first evidence that normal human bone cells in monolayer cultures contained at least two subpopulations of ALP-positive cells, and that bone cell effectors could have differential effects on each cell population.     

The value of the acoustic analysis of pathological infant cry and breathing noise in everyday practice

During a period of twenty years [1969-1988] the author has observed 614 cases of congenital malformations and noninflammatory diseases of the larynx in infants and young children, Budapest. He summarizes the most characteristic symptoms of laryngeal pathology in infants, and discusses the diagnostic possibilities. Among the latter, spectrographic analyses complemented by auditory evaluation of pathological cry and different breathing noises play an important role. Based on his investigation author differentiates 20 kinds of pathological crying sounds and 4 basic forms of stridor. He describes the acoustic attributes of different pathological sound phenomena and summarizes characteristic voice changes.     

心理因素对小学生脑力工作能力影响的研究

采用横断面研究方法，对180名小学三年级学生脑力工作能力与其智力、性格、学习动机等心理因素和学习、睡眠时间等作息因素的关系进行分析研究。验证了学习、睡眠时间是影响学生脑力工作能力重要的外部因素；脑力工作能力与智力和学习成绩呈正相关。学生自身的心理因素中，学习动机对脑力工作能力有重要影响，所以激发和强化学生的学习动机，是保持和提高学生学习工作能力的有效手段；而性格内外向性、情绪稳定性等因素，对脑力工作能力的影响不明显。     

颞叶癫痫手术时的皮质脑电描记

提要报告1980年10月至1992年6月间,在皮质脑电描记下手术治疗颞叶癫痫55例,前颞叶切除50例,杏仁核、海马切除5例。皮质脑电描记结果说明,颞叶癫痫的痫灶绝大多数来源于颞叶外侧皮质和颞叶内侧结构。术中皮质脑电描记可提供痫灶的精确部位和范围。