COVID-19 vaccine and pregnancy: A safety weapon against pandemic

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is raising great concern all over the world. The recent introduction of vaccines has offered reason for optimism, however, new issues have arisen, such as vaccine reluctance. The safety of vaccines for pregnant women is one of the most serious of these concerns. The purpose of this review article is to provide updated international vaccine recommendations, results of ongoing studies and clinical trials, and the role of gynecologists in counseling the women to understand the risks versus benefits as well as form an informed decision towards vaccine acceptance for COVID-19.Although COVID-19 infection increases the risk of severe morbidity and mortality in pregnant women, pregnant women were not included in the initial vaccine trials. As a result, safety information is scarce. Nations have differing recommendations, though many have recently approved the COVID-19 immunization in pregnancy following a risk-benefit analysis. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization (JCVI) of the United Kingdom recently approved an mRNA vaccination for pregnant women. Vaccination is recommended by the CDC, ACOG, ARFM, and WHO. India recently took a stand, with the ICMR and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare recommending vaccination during pregnancy and lactation.     

中药复方962对老年大鼠外周血淋巴细胞DNA损伤的影响

目的：观察不同年龄组（4月和24月龄）大鼠和连续灌胃给予中药复方962 3个月的老年大鼠的外周血淋巴细胞DNA的损伤情况。方法：利用快速、灵敏的单细胞电泳技术结合激光扫描共聚焦显微镜来观察大鼠外周血淋巴细胞的DNA损伤,以彗星样细胞出现率（计数一定量细胞中彗星样细胞所占的比例）、占彗星长度（“彗星”电泳方向上的最大长度）和尾距（尾部DNA占总DNA的百分比与头尾部中心间距的乘积）来评价淋巴细胞DNA的损伤程度。结果：发现老年大鼠外周血淋巴细胞中彗尾样细胞出现率显著高于青年大鼠（P＜0．01）,复方962不仅能明显降低老年大鼠的淋巴细胞的彗尾样细胞出现率,而且能明显降低老年大鼠外周血彗星样细胞的总彗星长度和尾蹑（P＜0．01）。结论：实验表明复方962对老年大鼠淋巴细胞DNA的损伤有明显的保护作用。     

生脉注射液对阿霉素致心脏损伤保护作用的实验研究

用Wister大鼠模型研究生脉注射液对阿霉素致心脏损伤的保护作用。结果：使用生脉注射液比单纯使用阿霉素,血清SOD活性升高,MDA、GOT、LDH、HBDH、LDH1／LDH2比值及心肌病理计分下降。表明;生脉注射液对阿霉素导致的心脏损伤具有保护作用,其机理与其清除氧自由基,保护SOD活性有关。     

Evaluating problem-based learning in a multilingual student population

OBJECTIVES: The University of Natal Medical School in South Africa provides training for a student body composed of two groups: one with English as a first language and the other with an African language as a first language and English as the second. A new methodology was developed to evaluate an innovative course using modified problem-based learning techniques in this heterogeneous environment. DESIGN: The learning model proposed required achieving a balance of three components: content, enquiry/learning process and social interaction/group process. A multidimensional system, felt to be consistent with this educational philosophy, was developed using seven different quantitative and qualitative techniques. SETTING: The University of Natal Medical School. SUBJECTS: First-year multilingual medical students. RESULTS: The results revealed that social interaction was highly successful in reducing barriers between the student groups and between students and facilitators. However, the emphasis on group participation may have overshadowed the enquiry process, leading to superficial discussions of problems and feelings of repetitiveness. During the course students and facilitators expressed concern that the innovative assessments used did not assess the course content adequately. While the group presentations and projects were useful exercises for consolidation and group interaction, they did not enable facilitators to identify struggling students. CONCLUSIONS: The outcome of the evaluation stressed the need of achieving an appropriate balance both in the curriculum and assessments of the three components of the learning model, particularly in a setting where student backgrounds and language ability differ. Multidimensional methodology is needed for effective evaluation that promotes critical reflection.     

Prevalence of asthma and respiratory symptoms in south-central Durban, South Africa

The prevalence of asthma and respiratory symptoms in south-central Durban, one of the most heavily polluted areas of South Africa, has been determined using a cross-sectional survey of 213 households in the communities of Merewent (97% Indians) and Austerville (98% coloreds). The study population consisted of 367 children (less than 17 years old) and 693 adults. About 10% of the children and 12% of adults reported doctor diagnosed asthma. The self-reported prevalence rates for wheezing (37–40%) and attacks of shortness of breath with wheeze (16–28%) were much higher than that for doctor diagnosed asthma and common co-occurrence of the three symptoms is found. The prevalence rates for other respiratory symptoms include 33–35% for chronic cough, 31–32% for chronic phlegm, 44–50% for frequent blocked-runny nose, and 16–27% for sinusitis. Factors in the community that were associated with asthma, wheeze and shortness of breath with wheeze among the adult population included cigarette smoking, use of insecticides (coils and pump spray) and home ownership. An association between asthma among children and a number of household risk factors including dampness, carpet, pets or use of pesticides was not apparent in the community. Asthma prevalence was strongly correlated with missing of school by children (odds ratio (OR): 44; 95% confidence interval (CI): 13–141). The study serves to draw attention to a growing but neglected public health problem in urban areas of Africa.     

The septal arteries in the differential diagnosis of constrictive pericarditis

Angiographic study of the motion of the septal and left marginal arteries was performed in patients with restriction in ventricular diastolic filling in order to separate patients with constrictive pericarditis from those with restrictive cardiomyopathy. Twelve patients with constrictive pericarditis (group I) and 10 patients with restrictive cardiomyopathy (group II) were evaluated and compared with 21 patients with normal coronary angiograms (group III). The displacement of the septal arteries (23 +/- 2.04 mm) was abnormally exaggerated in group I and normal (9 +/- 0.81 mm) in groups II and III. The displacement of the left marginal arteries as seen by the "corrugating index" was similar in all groups. We conclude that study of the displacement of the septal arteries is a useful angiographic sign that helps to separate constrictive pericarditis from restrictive cardiomyopathy and normals.     

The sunflower syndrome. A new look at "self-induced" photosensitive epilepsy

The stereotyped, episodic abnormal behaviour manifested by a child and her mother on exposure to a particular sort of sunlight is described in detail. The child is the first fully documented patient with this so-called "self-induced" form of photosensitive epilepsy in whom for several years no electroencephalographic sensitivity to flickering light could be demonstrated. The probability that the cingulate circuit may be the anatomical substrate involved in the pathogenesis of these patients' unusual response to sunlight is discussed. Both patients also exhibited remarkably persistent habit rhythmias--the one common to both being that of circling.     

Evaluation of the results of external choledochoduodenostomy for retained, recurrent, or primary common duct stones.

Twenty-five patients were treated for retained, recurrent, or primary common duct stones by permanent drainage of the biliary tract with external choledochoduodenostomy. Twenty-one patients had common duct stones which became evident two to fifty years after the initial biliary tract procedure and which may represent stones formed in the common duct. Three recent patients had a clinical history of primary common duct stones, had stones which were soluble in chloroform-methanol solution, and had hepatic bile which was lithogenic as determined by evaluating the molar percentage of cholesterol, phospholipid, and bile salt in bile samples obtained at the time of choledochoduodenostomy. These data suggest that further stone formation is possible and that permanent bypass of the sphincter of Oddi is indicated to prevent recurrent bile duct obstruction. Long-term evaluation of the results of external choledochoduodenostomy indicates that the procedure is safe and effective in the prevention of recurrent biliary tract calculi.     

藏药花锚中新化学成分的鉴定

目的 分离并鉴定高原植物椭圆叶花锚Halenia elliptica全草中的化学成分。方法 采用元素分析（EA），核磁共振波谱（NMR），质谱（MS），红外光谱（IR），紫外光谱（UV），差示扫描量热（DSC）等分析方法，测定其理化常数和波谱数据，鉴定其化学结构，结果 确证从椭圆叶花锚中所得到的两种针状结晶化合物，分别为1-羟基-3，7，8-三甲氧基Shan酮（1-hydroxy-3,7,8-trimethoxyxanthone)和1，7-二羟基-3，8-二甲氧基Shan酮（1，7-dihydroxy-3,8-dimethoxyxanthone)。结论 上述两种Shan酮衍生物为首次从藏药花锚中分离得到。     

甘肃产香青挥发油成分分析

香青 Anaphalis sinica Hance是菊科香青属中的一种 ,主产于我国北部、中部、东部及南部 ,生长于低山或高山灌丛、草地、山坡和溪岸 ,朝鲜和日本也有分布[1] 。全草入药 ,具有平喘、镇咳、祛痰、消炎等作用 [2 ] ,但对其化学成分及挥发油成分的研究未见报道。本研究采用水蒸汽蒸馏法提取香青挥发油并通过气相色谱 /质谱联用技术对其成分进行分析鉴定。1　仪器与材料HP6890 / 5 973GC- MS仪 ,HP- 5 MS( 30 m×0 .2 5 mm× 0 .2 5μm) (美国 HP公司 ) ,香青于 2 0 0 0年 9月采自甘肃省兰州地区石佛沟 ,由张永红博士鉴定为香青属植物香青…