Predictors of gastric emptying in Parkinson''s disease

Predictors of gastric emptying (GE) in patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD) of a solid and liquid meal are not well defined. For measurement of GE 80 patients with PD were randomly assigned to receive either a solid meal (250 kcal) containing 13C-octanoate (n = 40) or a liquid meal (315 kcal) with 13C-acetate (n = 40). All patient groups were off medication affecting motility and were matched for age, gender, body mass index, disease duration and severity, using Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS). Gastric emptying was compared with a healthy control group (n = 40). Multiple regression analysis was used to determine predictors of gastric emptying. Exactly 88% and 38% of PD patients had delayed GE of solids and liquids respectively. Solid and liquid emptying was similar in women and men. There were no differences in GE in PD patients < 65 years of age when compared with patients > or = 65 years. Multiple regression analysis showed that motor handicaps such as rigour and action tremor are independent predictors of solid GE (r = 0.68, P < 0.001). The severity of motor impairment, but not any other neurological symptom, as assessed by UPDRS is associated with gastroparesis in PD and solid emptying is more likely to be delayed.     

腺苷与异丙酚预处理对犬心肌缺血再灌注损伤的保护作用

目的探讨腺苷与异丙酚预处理对犬心肌缺血再灌注损伤的保护作用。方法 21只杂种犬,雌雄不拘,随机分为3组(n=7):缺血再灌注组(A组)、异丙酚预处理组(B组)、异丙酚与腺苷联合预处理组(C组)。A组冠状动脉的左前降支结扎60min后松开结扎,再灌注:120min;B组缺血前30min经静脉以5．6mg·kg-1·h-1速率持续泵注异丙酚30min;C组缺血前10min经主动脉根部一次性注入腺苷(10mmol·L-1,10ml),其余处理同B组。记录心脏血液动力学指标,并行节段性室壁运动评分(RWMS)。结果缺血即刻出现了缺血性心电图的变化。与基础值比较,A组缺血期及再灌注期 LVEDP升高,CO、SV、LVEF、CPP、RPP降低,再灌注期MAP降低,HR减慢,B、C组上述缺血再灌注诱导的血液动力学变化减弱,A组缺血期及再灌注期RWMS增加,但B、C组缺血期RWMS低于A组(P< 0．05或0．01)。结论异丙酚预处理对犬心肌缺血再灌注损伤有一定的保护作用,腺苷预处理并未增强其保护作用。     

Matrix metalloproteinases-2 and -9 in cervical cancer: different roles in tumor progression

The incidence of uterine cervical cancer has increased slightly in Western countries, with an increase in relatively young women. Overexpression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs)-2 and -9 has turned out as a prognostic factor in many cancers. We compared the expression of the proteins MMP-2 and MMP-9 in cervical primary tumors with clinical outcome and risk factors of cervical cancer. One hundred sixty-one patients with cervical cancer treated in Ume? University Hospital or Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Sweden, between 1991 and 1995 were included in the study. Paraffin-embedded tissue samples obtained prior to treatment were examined immunohistochemically by specific antibodies for MMP-2 and MMP-9. Forty-two percent of the tumors were intensively positive for MMP-2 and 31% for MMP-9. Nineteen percent of the samples were intensively positive for both proteinases and 47% negative or weak for both. Overexpression of MMP-2 seemed to predict unfavorable survival under Kaplan-Meier analysis and in the multivariate analysis. Early sexual activity and low parity seemed to correlate to overexpression of MMP-2. MMP-9 was not associated with survival or sexual behavior. Intensive MMP-9 was noted in grade 1 tumors. We conclude that MMP-2 and MMP-9 have different roles in uterine cervical cancer. MMP-2 could be associated with aggressive behavior, but MMP-9 expression diminishes in high-grade tumors.     

Statistical analysis of pathologic risk factors for intramyometrial lymphvascular space involvement in myoinvasive endometrial carcinoma

In a retrospective study using univariate analysis, we identified tumor type (nonendometrioid vs endometrioid), depth of myoinvasion (MI), mode of MI (infiltrative vs cohesive), and direct anatomic invasion of the cervical wall from the isthmus as significant positive risk factors for intramyometrial lymphvascular space involvement (LVSI). On multivariate analysis, tumor grade, depth of MI, and mode of MI retained their significance. We created a grid for the relative risks of LVSI with respect to these variables individually or in combination. We suggest that our indirect estimate of the risk of LVSI can help in assessing prognosis and determining the need for adjuvant therapy whenever LVSI is important in clinical decision making, but its pathologic diagnosis is uncertain.     

1,25(OH)2Vitamin D3 induces elevated expression of the cell cycle inhibitor p18 in a squamous cell carcinoma cell line of the head and neck

BACKGROUND: 1Alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) [1,25(OH)(2) Vitamin D(3)] induces growth inhibition in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) cell lines of the head and neck by arresting the cells in the G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle, probably due to an enhanced expression of p21, which could be demonstrated in other cell lines (JPPA, SCC9) before. In SCC25, a SCC cell line isolated from tongue, growth inhibition but no overexpression of p21 was detected. The retinoblastoma gene, as a direct target of G1 cyclin-CDK complexes, showed an obvious shift from the hyperphosphorylated to the hypophosphorylated form under 1,25(OH)(2)Vitamin D(3), which indicates that the growth inhibition takes place in the G0/G1 phase. To explore the possible pathway of growth inhibition in SCC25 we investigated other cell cycle inhibitors (p18, p19, p27). METHODS: Synchronized cells were treated with 1,25(OH)(2)Vitamin D(3) over 96 h. The cell cycle status and expression of cell cycle-regulating proteins was determined by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) and Western blotting. An overexpression of p18 in 1,25(OH)(2)Vitamin D(3) vs. ethanol-treated cells was determined until 30 h in SCC25. No influence was detectable on the expression of p27 and p19. CONCLUSION: One mechanism by which 1,25(OH)(2)Vitamin D(3) controls cell growth might be the upregulation of p21. As p21 was unsusceptible to 1,25(OH)(2)Vitamin D(3) in SCC25, other inhibiting proteins were necessary to be tested. The proven upregulation of p18 seems to be the responsible step for growth inhibition of 1,25(OH)(2)Vitamin D(3) in SCC25.     

我国医疗器械数字化技术发展中存在的主要问题及原因

本文提出了我国医疗器械产业中数字化技术发展中存在的主要问题，并分析了问题产生的原因。     

Therapeutic Consequences of Variation in Intraarterial Pressure Measurements After Iliac Angioplasty

Purpose: To assess the accuracy of intraarterial measurement of transstenotic pressure gradients for the detection of hemodynamically suboptimal iliac angioplasty. Methods: In 14 patients, referred for diagnostic angiography, mean pressure gradients in the aorta and iliac artery were obtained twice, using a double-sensor pressure catheter. Additional iliac measurements were performed during pharmacologically induced flow augmentation. Repeatability was assessed by calculation of the mean difference plus standard deviation (MD ± SD) and repeatability coefficient (2 × SD). These results were extrapolated to 137 iliac angioplasty procedures with secondary stenting where there was a residual pressure gradient > 10 mmHg. Results: MD ± SD for repeated measurements at rest and during flow augmentation were 0 ± 2 mmHg and 1 ± 3 mmHg, respectively. Repeatability coefficients were 3 and 6 mmHg. Mean pressure gradients after hemodynamically insufficient angioplasty were 8 ± 7 mmHg at rest and 17 ± 5 mmHg following vasodilatation. Inaccurate pressure recordings may have led to inappropriate stent placement in less than 2.5%, and inappropriate denial of stent placement in less than 5% of the lesions. Conclusion: Variability of intraarterial pressure measurements has little consequence in the detection of hemodynamically significant stenosis after angioplasty. Received: 0/00/00/Accepted: 0/00/00     

Effects of Sclerocarya birroea Hochst. extract on some metabolic activities in the rat

The decoction of Sclerocarya birroea Hochst. shows hypoglycaemic effects, an increase in plasma IRI in normal rats and an incremented oral-glucose tolerance. The decoction is also active against diet-induced hypercholesterolaemia.     

医源性胆管狭窄X线表现

本文报道了１３例医源性胆管狭窄，分析其影像表现。特点为：环形狭窄；线样狭窄，包括规则的和不规则的线样狭窄；闭塞性狭窄；胆管闭塞和胆管中断分离。ＥＲＣＴ和ＰＣＴ对狭窄的形态，位置及长度显示优于ＣＴ和ＵＳ。     

Managing asthma in accident and emergency departments: an assessment in non teaching hospitals

Background: The management and follow-up of asthma patients presenting at Accident and Emergency (A&E) departments have mostly been studied in children's hospitals or specialised teaching hospitals. Aims: To study the adequacy of assessment, treatment and follow-up of patients presenting at A&E departments in non-teaching hospitals. Methods: A twenty-five per cent sample of presentations to A&E departments in all public hospitals in the Illawarra for one year was selected for a case note audit. Information on demographics, assessment, management and referral was extracted from the A&E case notes and medical records of cases with documentation of a final diagnosis of asthma. Chi square and Fischer's Exact tests were used for comparisons among hospitals. Results: Of 359 presentations with a final diagnosis of asthma, 88% were self referred and only 5% were first presentations. Objective measures of airways obstruction was not documented in 34% of admissions and 48% of nonadmissions. There was no documented follow-up in 28% of cases. The assessment and management of asthma in A&E was significantly poorer in smaller hospitals. Conclusion: Evidence of high use of A&E as a primary care facility by asthma patients was found in the study. There is a need to implement protocols to optimise assessment and treatment of asthma in smaller hospitals. (Aust NZ J Med 1993; 23: 672–677.).