Medial plantar nerve conduction velocities among patients with vibration syndrome due to chain-saw work

Objective: The present study examined the effect of the vibration syndrome (VS) on the peripheral nervous system in the lower extremities. Methods: Thirty-eight patients with VS due to previous exposure to vibration from chain-saw work and 55 age-matched controls were examined for sensory nerve conduction velocities in the medial plantar nerve (SCV-P). The patient group was divided into two subgroups, one with (n=19) and the other without vibration-induced white finger (VWF; n=19). Results: Analysis of variance of SCV-P for the three groups showed significant difference (F _2,89=10.65, P < 0.0001). A significant difference was found between the controls and the VWF⁺ group (P < 0.0001) but not between the controls and the VWF⁻ group (P=0.0508) by multiple comparison using Scheffe's method. Conclusion: These findings suggest that VS affects the peripheral nervous system function in the lower extremities via mediation of circulatory disturbance manifested as VWF. Received: 7 May 1998 / Accepted: 15 June 1999     

Hand-arm vibration syndrome and its prevalence in the present status of private forestry enterprises in Japan

Summary Currently there are no limitations on age of employment on private forestries in Japan. Hence, it was hypothesized that in these kind of enterprises, elderly chain saw operators, or those with long-term exposure, might be at higher risk of developing hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS). We consequently investigated the prevalence of HAVS in 447 chain saw workers on private forestries in Gifu Prefecture, Japan, with particular reference to age and exposure period. Of this population, 43 (9.6%) had signs and symptoms of vibration-induced white finger (VWF), and among these workers the severity of finger blanching was significantly correlated (P < 0.01) with the exposure period. Classification of all subjects by exposure period showed that workers with 30 years' exposure had higher prevalences of VWF (20.9%) and numbness of the hands (25.4%) compared to other groups. Significant differences (P < 0.01) were found between the functional capacities of workers with VWF and those of control subjects. We concluded that (a) the elderly chain saw operators and those with longer exposure should be moved to other jobs with a lower or no risk of exposure to vibration, and (b) the results of screening tests, even without cold water immersion (which we did not employ, in order to protect workers' hands), could be helpful for the identification of workers with VWF.     

Early splenectomy and polychemotherapy versus polychemotherapy alone in chronic myeloid leukemia

The effect of early splenectomy and of polychemotherapy with hydroxyurea, busulfan, and alternate bimonthly courses of arabinosyl cytosine and vincristine plus prednisone, was evaluated in 139 previously untreated patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), consecutively admitted to 18 hospitals from March 1973 to October 1974. Fifty-six patients were splenectomized and 83 patients were not splenectomized. Splenectomy did not influence the duration of chronic and blastic phase, and did not prolong survival. The prognosis of high risk patients was not improved. During the chronic phase, high platelet counts were more frequent in splenectomy group, and five patients developed thrombotic or thromboembolic complications, 5 to 19 months after the operation. The median survival of the whole group was 50 months, with 32 of 139 patients (actuarial proportion 30%) remaining alive 72 months after diagnosis, but the slope of the survival curve was similar to that of historical controls. The results of this trial suggests that new strategies should be developed for the therapy of CML.     

喷雾干燥对溶菌酶一级结构的影响

目的 考察喷雾干燥对溶茵酶一级结构稳定性的影响。方法 以送料速度2.4 ml/min、进口气流温度150℃、出口气流温度70℃、雾化器转速18 000 r/min制备喷雾干燥溶茵酶。采用MALDI-TOF/MS测定喷雾干燥对溶菌酶一级结构的影响。结果 喷雾干燥溶菌酶除了具有溶菌酶相同的准分子离子峰、二聚体、三聚体、四聚体及三聚体的两电荷离子峰外,另多5个碎片离子峰。结论 喷雾干燥可造成溶菌酶一级结构破坏。     

柴胡、赤芍与醋柴胡、杭白芍对大鼠高脂血症作用的实验研究

目的观察药对柴胡、赤芍与醋柴胡、杭白芍,对高脂血症大鼠脂质代谢、血小板功能影响,比较它们作用环节的差异.方法本实验采用高脂应激造成大鼠高脂血症血瘀模型方法,观察大鼠血瘀模型脂质代谢、血小板功能的变化.结果醋柴胡、杭白芍、柴胡、赤芍对TC(cholesterol)均有显著降低作用,醋柴胡、杭白芍强于柴胡、赤芍,而两者对LDL-C(low density lipoprotein)、Lp(a)[lipoprotein(a)]也有显著降低作用,但柴胡、赤芍作用较强,和模型组比较有明显差异(P＜0.05和P＜0.01);醋柴胡、杭白芍对TG (triglyceride)有显著降低作用,和模型组比较有明显差异(P<0.01); 柴胡、赤芍对血小板聚集率和活化阳性率均有显著降低作用(P<0.05).结论柴胡、赤芍与醋柴胡、杭白芍可作用于引起动脉粥样硬化的不同环节,柴胡、赤芍药对在抑制血小板聚集、降低血小板活化率方面优于醋柴胡、杭白芍.     

槟榔与白胡椒对猪囊尾蚴形态学改变的影响

目的　观察研究中药槟榔、白胡椒对体外培养的猪囊尾蚴形态学改变的影响。方法　取经槟榔、白胡椒药液作用不同时间的囊尾蚴进行大体形态及扫描电镜观察。结果　经槟榔、白胡椒分别作用 3 0min ,1h后所有虫体蠕动均停止。槟榔、白胡椒对囊尾蚴分别作用 2 0min ,40min ,虫体表面开始出现部分剥蚀区 ,且随时间延长 ,其剥蚀区增大。结论　两种药物作用于囊尾蚴的效果均好 ,可以作为人或猪囊虫病的治疗药物     

南沙参多糖对亚慢性受照小鼠的抗突变作用研究

目的：研究南沙参多糖对亚慢性受照小鼠抗突变作用。方法：用^60Cγ射线全身低剂量均匀间断照射小鼠106d，累计吸收剂量为3．25Gy，检测外周血白细胞数、血小板数、睾丸精原细胞染色体畸变率、精子畸形率和骨髓嗜多染红细胞微核率。结果：辐射损伤后，外周血白细胞数、血小板数降低；染色体畸变率、精子畸形率和骨髓嗜多染红细胞微核率均增加，南沙参多糖可促进上述指标的恢复。结论：南沙参多糖对亚慢性受照小鼠损伤具有明显的保护作用，其机制与抗氧化作用有关。     

人体寄生虫虫卵图像的自动识别

本文对显微医学图像的自动识别进行了初步研究，在微型计算机上实现了血吸虫等十余种人体寄生虫虫卵显微图像的预处理、分割、特征提取及识别与分类。通过对一批检验样本的识别分类，取得了正确率为９２％的较好结果。     

鲜蛋的品质安全与控制

本文作者根据我国鲜蛋生产的实际,提出鲜蛋品质安全控制措施防止食源性疾病发生,以确保鲜蛋的食品卫生与安全。     

Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) enhances functional recovery following severe spinal cord injury to the rat

We have recently demonstrated that following a moderate contusion spinal cord injury (SCI) to rats, subsequent administration of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) significantly enhances functional recovery and tissue sparing. To further characterize the effects of bFGF, we evaluated its efficacy after a more severe contusion injury at T(10) using the NYU impactor. Immediately after SCI, osmotic minipumps were implanted into the lateral ventricle and lumbar thecal sac to deliver bFGF at 3 or 6 microg per day versus control vehicle for 1 week. Animals were behaviorally tested for 6 weeks before histological assessment of tissue sparing through the injured segment and glial reactivity distal to the lesion. Compared to moderate SCI, all rats had more prolonged and sustained functional deficits 6 weeks after severe contusion. Subjects treated with bFGF had pronounced recovery of hindlimb movements from 2 to 6 weeks compared to controls, manifested in significantly higher behavioral scores. Only marginal tissue sparing was seen rostral to the injury in bFGF-treated spinal cords versus controls. Optical density measurements of astrocyte and microglial cell immunoreactivity in bFGF-treated spinal cords showed that after 6 weeks they approximated controls, although astrocyte immunoreactivity remained higher in controls rostrally. In summary, intrathecal infusion of bFGF following severe SCI significantly restores gross hindlimb motor function that is not correlated with significant tissue sparing. In light of previous evidence that pharmacological intervention with bFGF after moderate SCI enhances tissue preservation, the current findings indicate that yet undefined mechanisms contribute to the enhanced functional recovery following bFGF treatment.