Inhibin and renin in follicular fluids of patients with one or two ovaries stimulated with a GnRH agonist and gonadotrophins

Follicular fluids from eight patients with one ovary and from ten patients with two ovaries were investigated for bioactive inhibin, total renin, oestradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4) concentrations. Four follicular fluids were pooled per patient before assessment. All women had been stimulated similarly using a protocol including a GnRH agonist, HMG and HCG. Renin levels were significantly lower and P4 significantly higher in pools of follicular fluid from patients with one ovary, whereas inhibin and E2 concentrations were similar in both patient groups. A significant negative correlation was found in the pools of follicular fluid between inhibin and E2 in both groups. These results suggest a role for inhibin and renin in the paracrine and autocrine control of stimulated follicular development.     

Is cholic acid responsible for embryo-toxicity of the post-receptive uterine environment?

HPLC analysis of the embryo-toxic fraction of human uterinefluid, collected between the 22nd and 25th days of the menstrualcycle, revealed the presence of cholic acid at high concentrations.It is suggested that cholic acid could be responsible for theembryo-toxicity of the uterine environment, which follows thereceptive period for implantation.     

Five‐Year Follow‐up After Sacral Neuromodulation: Single Center Experience

Objective. We studied long‐term clinical efficacy of sacral neuromodulation (SNM) therapy in patients with refractory urgency incontinence (UI), urgency/frequency (UF) and voiding difficulty (VD), together with urodynamic data at baseline and six   months postimplant. Materials and Methods. Twenty‐two patients were implanted with a neurostimulator after a positive response to a percutaneous nerve evaluation test defined as a greater than 50% improvement in symptoms. Results. At five‐year follow‐up, the number of incontinent episodes and pad usage per day decreased significantly in 10 out of 15 UI patients. Two of five UF patients were successfully treated with SNM; the number of daily voids for all UF patients decreased from 25 to 19 and average voided volume increased from 98 to 212 mL. One of the two VD patients was able to void to completion. Mean first sensation of filling at the six‐month urodynamic investigation for the UI and UF patients increased from 78 to 241 mL and 141 to 232 mL, respectively, and the maximum bladder capacity increased from 292 to 352 mL and 223 to 318 mL, respectively. Five of 22 patients underwent device explant and one patient still has an inactive stimulator implanted. Conclusion. SNM is an effective treatment modality that offers sustained clinical benefit in the majority of patients with refractory UI, UF, and VD that do not respond to other, more conservative therapies.     

In vivo Intracellular Recording of Neurons in the Supraoptic Nucleus of the Rat Hypothalamus

Intracellular recordings were made from cells in the hypothalamic supraoptic nucleus in the urethane-anaesthetized male rat using the ventral surgical approach. Impalements lasted from 5 min to 1 h and recorded cells had an input resistance of 55 to 170 megohms. Spikes of over 50 mV were recorded from 14 cells which could be antidromically activated by stimulation of the neural stalk. The spikes showed a hyperpolarizing afterpotential and the broadening characteristic of rapidly firing magnocellular neurons, which recovered rapidly (<200 ms). When depolarized, the cells showed evidence of a transient potassium current. Recurrent synaptic coupling between the recorded cell and adjacent cells would be expected to alter the hyperpolarizing afterpotential of an antidromic spike as compared with a spontaneous spike; no perceptible difference in the waveforms of the different types of spike could be detected in 11 spontaneously active cells. Application of just subthreshold stimuli to the neural stalk did not evoke depolarizing or hyperpolarizing potentials. Suprathreshold shocks to the neural stalk, when the antidromic spike was prevented by collision, also had no discernible effect on membrane potential. Thus intracellular recordings from magnocellular neurons in vivo revealed electrophysiological properties similar to those seen in vitro. No evidence for synaptic interconnection between magnocellular neurons was found in male rats.     

Choice of general practice for postgraduate training among medical graduates and undergraduates in Nigeria

A questionnaire survey of career choices was carried out among 112 medical graduates, after one year's internship (group I), during their National Youth Corps programme in Kaduna, Lagos, Cross River and Oyo states of Nigeria, and 365 final-year medical undergraduates (group 2) in the colleges of medicine in the corresponding states. A total of 13% in group I and 40% in group 2 were undecided as regards their first choice. Obstetrics and gynaecology was the most popular first choice in both groups. General practice ranked fifth among group I, but displaced surgery to rank second among group 2. The differences were statistically significant. A total of 41% of group I and 46% of group 2 preferred to work in a teaching hospital, reflecting the high preference for surgical specialties. Twenty-six per cent and 33.7% of respondents in groups 1 and 2 respectively wished to own their own practice or work in the private sector. General practice is a new specialty and its growth is supported by a national postgraduate training programme. A shift towards general practice is seen compared with previous studies of career preference among Nigerian medical graduates and students. This may be due to a changing balance of supply and demand in the medical work-force, or a better assessment of the nation's health problems and manpower needs.     

Individualized Mycophenolate Mofetil Dosing Based on Drug Exposure Significantly Improves Patient Outcomes After Renal Transplantation

Efficacy and safety of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) may be optimized with individualized doses based on therapeutic monitoring of its active metabolite, mycophenolic acid (MPA). In this 12-month study, 137 renal allograft recipients from 11 French centers receiving basiliximab, cyclosporine A, MMF and corticosteroids were randomized to receive either concentration-controlled doses or fixed-dose MMF. A novel Bayesian estimator of MPA AUC based on three-point sampling was used to individualize doses on posttransplant days 7 and 14 and months 1, 3 and 6. The primary endpoint was treatment failure (death, graft loss, acute rejection and MMF discontinuation). Data from 65 patients/group were analyzed. At month 12, the concentration-controlled group had fewer treatment failures (p = 0.03) and acute rejection episodes (p = 0.01) with no differences in adverse event frequency. The MMF dose was higher in the concentration-controlled group at day 14 (p < 0.0001), month 1 (p < 0.0001) and month 3 (p < 0.01), as were median AUCs on day 14 (33.7 vs. 27.1 mg*h/L; p = 0.0001) and at month 1 (45.0 vs. 30.9 mg*h/L; p < 0.0001). Therapeutic MPA monitoring using a limited sampling strategy can reduce the risk of treatment failure and acute rejection in renal allograft recipients 12 months posttransplant with no increase in adverse events.     

护理干预对2型糖尿病患者康复作用的研究

目的 探讨护理干预在2型糖尿病患康复中的作用。方法 对80例2型糖尿病患，随机分成干预组和对照组，干预组实施全程护理干预，对照组实施常规的治疗护理。结果 干预组血糖控制良好，并发症发生率明显降低。结论 护理干预是2型糖尿病康复治疗的有效方法。     

多发性骨髓瘤患者血浆尿激酶型纤溶酶原激活物及其可溶性受体的检测与临床意义

目的 :研究多发性骨髓瘤 ( MM)患者血浆尿激酶型纤溶酶原激活物 ( u- PA )及其可溶性受体 ( su PAR )的水平变化 ,并探讨其临床意义。方法 :用 ELISA法检测 34例 MM患者血浆 u- PA及 su PA R的浓度 ,同时观察其中6例 MM患者化疗前后血浆 u- PA及 su PAR的浓度变化。结果 :MM患者血浆 u- PA及 su PA R水平均明显高于正常对照组 ,其中进展期 MM患者血浆 u- PA及 su PAR水平明显高于正常对照组和稳定期 MM患者 ( P <0 .0 1) ,而稳定期 MM患者血浆 u- PA及 su PA R水平与正常对照组无显著性差异 ( P>0 .0 5)。 6例 MM患者化疗后血浆 u- PA及 su PA R水平 ,明显低于化疗前血浆 u- PA及 su PAR水平 ( P<0 .0 5)。骨髓涂片瘤细胞比例 >2 0 %的 MM患者血浆 u- PA及 su PA R水平 ,明显高于瘤细胞比例≤ 2 0 % M M患者 ( P<0 .0 5;P<0 .0 1)。M M患者血浆 u- PA及su PA R水平均与骨髓瘤细胞百分比及血清球蛋白呈正相关 ,而与血清白蛋白呈负相关。结论 :血浆 u- PA及 su PA R水平升高可能与多发性骨髓瘤的发生、发展有密切关系 ;其水平可作为临床分期、判断疗效、了解疾病进展情况及预后的一个重要指标。     

利福昔明对比环丙沙星治疗急性肠炎临床研究

目的　研究利福昔明对比环丙沙星治疗急性肠炎的有效性和安全性。　方法　采用随机对照方法 ,共治疗 5 1例急性肠炎。利福昔明治疗 2 5例 ,环丙沙星 2 6例 ,用药时间方法相同。观察治疗前后临床症状、大便性状、大便次数、便常规、血常规、尿常规及肝肾功能 ,以了解其疗效及不良反应情况。　结果　利福昔明组 (治疗组 )与环丙沙星组 (对照组 )相比 ,显效率分别为 92 .0 %和 80 .8% ,总有效率分别为 92 .0 %和 96 .2 % ,止泻时间治疗组 2 8.6 7± 15 .92h ,对照组 36 .12± 2 0 .70h ,均未见明显毒副作用。以上各项指标及两组在治疗过程中大便次数变化、大便常规复常率经统计学处理均无显著性差异 (P >0 0 5 )。　结论　利福昔明可用于治疗急性肠炎 ,与环丙沙星比较 ,疗效相仿 ,但耐受性好 ,口服不吸收 ,故值得推广     

高度近视的病因学研究进展

高度近视发生的内因、外因，包括遗传倾向，相关基因定位，巩膜胶原白体免疫学说，视网膜生物活性物质失调学说，环境因素等，本研究就这些因素对高度近视发病的影响做一综述。现统一的认识有：①高度近视具有明显的遗传倾向。②迄今为止，已找到4个高度近视相关基因，它们的遗传方式均为常染色体显性遗传。③高度近视的巩膜组织病理改变和胶原代谢障碍引发了人们对高度近视免疫相关基因的深入研究。已发现HLAⅡ类基因与部分高度近视具有相关性。④视网膜中存在的生物活性物质直接或间接参与了形觉剥夺性近视的形成。⑤环境因素并非高度近视发病的决定因素，它仅起一定程度的促进作用。将今后的工作重点放在高度近视基因定位的研究，基因表达的调控及巩膜胶原代谢、网膜生物活性物质之间的关系研究上，无疑会进一步揭示高度近视的病因，为防治高度近视开辟新途径。