Vertical profile of Cs in soil

In this paper, a vertical distribution of ¹³⁷Cs in undisturbed soil was investigated experimentally and theoretically. Soil samples were taken from the surroundings of the city of Kragujevac in central Serbia during spring-summer of 2001. The sampling locations were chosen in such a way that the influence of soil characteristics on depth distribution of ¹³⁷Cs in soil could be investigated. Activity of ¹³⁷Cs in soil samples was measured using a HpGe detector and multi-channel analyzer. Based on vertical distribution of ¹³⁷Cs in soil which was measured for each of 10 locations, the diffusion coefficient of ¹³⁷Cs in soil was determined. In the next half-century, ¹³⁷Cs will remain as the source of the exposure. Fifteen years after the Chernobyl accident, and more than 30 years after nuclear probes, the largest activity of ¹³⁷Cs is still within 10 cm of the upper layer of the soil. This result confirms that the penetration of ¹³⁷Cs in soil is a very slow process. Experimental results were compared with two different Green functions and no major differences were found between them. While both functions fit experimental data well in the upper layer of soil, the fitting is not so good in deeper layers. Although the curves obtained by these two functions are very close to each other, there are some differences in the values of parameters acquired by them.     

脊柱后结构在胸腰段脊髓神经损伤及爆裂骨折分类中的作用

目的观察脊柱后结构在脊髓神经组织损伤中的作用,为脊髓神经损伤程度评估和预测脊髓神经功能恢复的可能性及进一步完善分类提供依据。方法实验采用高速准静态轴向加载法复制脊椎爆裂型骨折模型,检测椎管内压力变化及脊柱后结构损伤程度。对127例胸腰椎爆裂骨折合并截瘫患者的脊髓神经损伤程度及脊髓神经功能恢复情况与后结构损伤的相关性进行回顾性研究。结果实验证实后柱有损伤者椎管内压力变化峰值较小,无损伤者峰值较大。55例后结构损伤患者中伴脊髓神经损伤38例(69.09%),其中24例(63.16%)神经功能得到恢复,而72例无后结构损伤者有52例(72.22%)合并脊髓神经损伤,其中20例(38.46%)有神经功能改善。两组之间差异有显著性,提示无后结构损伤患者脊髓神经损伤和功能缺失的程度更重。结论无后结构损伤时脊髓神经损伤和功能缺失的程度明显高于有后结构损伤者,脊柱后结构的完整与否对脊髓神经损伤程度起着重要作用,可作为伤情评估、功能恢复预测和完善Denis分类的有效尺度。     

Cell transplantation to improve ventricular function in the failing heart

Current therapies for congestive heart failure are limited in efficacy or in applicability. Cardiac cell transplantation offers a novel therapeutic approach to improve heart function. Although significant progress has been made over the past decade in the development of cell transplantation, only recently have investigators studied the changes in ventricular function following cell transplantation. This review article describes the latest research developments, evaluates recent studies of ventricular function after cell transplantation, and discusses the future directions of cell transplantation as a new therapy to ‘repair broken hearts’.     

恢复后期脑卒中综合康复治疗与单纯药物治疗的对比研究

目的 :研究综合康复治疗对恢复后期脑卒中患者运动功能及日常生活能力 (ADL)的影响。方法 :将 92例恢复后期脑卒中患者 ,随机分为康复组 5 0例 ,对照组 4 2例 ,两组一般治疗相同 ,康复组同时配合康复护理、运动疗法、作业疗法和电疗等综合康复治疗 8周。结果 :采用Fugl-Meyer运动功能评分 (FMA)和修订的Barthel指数 (MBI)评分 ,康复组各项指标评分明显优于对照组 (P <0 .0 5 )。结论 :综合康复治疗对于恢复后期脑卒中患者运动功能的恢复有明显效果 ,提高了ADL水平。     

Head-impulse testing in Fabry disease - vestibular function in male and female patients

Aim : To study the prevalence of peripheral vestibular deficit in male and female patients with Fabry disease and to assess the effect of enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) on peripheral vestibular function using quantitative head-impulse testing. Methods : Using dual search-coils the vestibulo-ocular reflex during rapid rotational head thrusts to both sides was recorded in 21 patients (13 male, 8 female) with Fabry disease prior to ERT initiation. ERT consisted of infusions of gene-activated human α-galactosidase A (agalsidase alfa; Replagal™) every 2 weeks at doses of 0.2mg/kg. Eight patients were tested again approximately 6 and 12 months after the initiation of ERT. Results : At baseline examination, 15 of the patients with Fabry disease (71%; 11 males, 4 females) showed reduced peripheral vestibular function. The deficit was unilateral in nine patients (3 females) and bilateral in six patients (1 female). The severity of the vestibular deficit was not significantly different between male and female patients. After 12 months of ERT, the average vestibular deficit on the weaker side tended to improve; however, the change was not significant ( p = 0.10).
Conclusion : Fabry disease affects peripheral vestibular function in both male and female patients. Females seem to be affected less frequently than males, but, on average, vestibular deficits are not different between the two groups. To confirm or reject the tendency for vestibular improvement during ERT, more patients need to be tested and longer follow-up periods are required.     

带状灰质异位的磁共振弥散张量白质束成像研究

目的采用磁共振弥散张量白质束成像技术,观察带状灰质异位脑白质异常分布情况,探讨异位灰质的神经病理机制以及弥散张量白质束成像技术的应用价值。方法采用磁共振弥散张量白质束成像技术,对1例癫痫症状的带状灰质异位患者进行白质束描绘,观察其不同灰、白质的分布情况,并和1例正常人进行对比研究。结果弥散张量白质束成像技术很好地描绘了白质束结构。整体观察发现带状灰质异位患者脑白质整体结构紊乱,与正常人相比其联络弓状纤维稀疏、大部缺失,胼胝体纤维稀疏不整;局部分析发现内层灰质为主要的白质纤维发出处,而外层灰质仅发出细碎短小的纤维。结论对于带状灰质异位,异位的内层灰质不仅具有神经生理功能,并且可能起着主要作用,外层"正常"的灰质由于脑结构紊乱而丧失主要功能地位;灰质结构的紊乱导致白质纤维结构的缺失;弥散张量白质束成像技术可以很好地应用于带状灰质异位的神经机制研究。     

The value of different resistance parameters in distinguishing biopsy-proved dysfunction of renal allografts

The data concerning the value of duplex sonography in diagnosingparenchymatous renal allograft dysfunction are controversial.Most early studies did not take into consideration the manyfactors influencing resistance parameters. We therefore performeda prospective, biopsy-controlled study with exclusion of allknown sources of error regarding resistance parameters. Furthermorewe investigated the value of a new resistance parameter, thesystolic deceleration percentage. Forty-seven duplex sonographicstudies were performed on 43 patients (30 male, 13 female, medianage 47 years, range 7–70). Fourteen studies were doneon normally functioning grafts (control group) an average of33 days after transplantation. Thirty-three studies were performedon dysfunctional grafts immediately prior to biopsy. Graftswhich had been transplanted more than a year previously or withvascular findings or any other clinical or sonographic pathologyprobably explaining function deterioration were excluded. Inall patients, the resistive index (RI), pulsatility index (PI)and systolic deceleration percentage (DP) were calculated inthe main renal artery and in the interlobar artery. Of the 33grafts with dysfunction, nine had vascular rejection (VR), 11interstitial rejection (IR), 11 cyclosporin A toxicity (CAT)and two other histologies (OR). The mean RI in normal grafts(NO) was 0.71±0.06 in the main artery and 0.68±0.06in the interlobar artery, in VR 0.86±0.12 and 0.80±0.18,in IR 0.72±0.05 and 0.70±0.07, in CAT 0.67±0.06and 0.65±0.07 and in OR 0.64±0.07 and 0.60±0.01.For PI, the values were 1.45±0.23 and 1.41±0.28(NO), 3.5±2.13 and 2.92±2.16 (VR), 1.55±0.26and 1.46±0.33 (IR), 1.32±0.25 and 1.27±0.26(CAT) and 1.30±0.34 and 1.13±0.04 (OR). For DPwe calculated 28±5% and 29±6% (NO), 43±14%and 36±6% (VR), 29±9% and 27±9% (IR), 31±8%and 32±7% (CAT ) and 32±4% and 28±3% (OR).The sensitivity/specificity for VR with a cutoff mean+2 SD was0.44/1 for RI, 0.55/0.97 for PI and 0.33/0.89 for DP. It wasconcluded that:(1) despite the high selection of our patientgroup, diagnostic accuracy of duplex sonography for diagnosingparenchymatous function disorder in renal allograft remainsinsufficient; (2) in vascular rejection only, the resistanceparameters differ significantly from the values of normal allografts;(3) the higher the cutoff of resistance parameters, the betterthe specificity and the worse the sensitivity for diagnosingvascular rejection; (4) of all investigated resistance parameters,the RI is the most practical due to a simple measurement technique.     

Sexual sequelae of antihypertensive drugs: Treatment effects on self-report and physiological measures in middle-aged male hypertensives

Antihypertensive drugs are commonly associated with adverse side effects in both clinical and laboratory studies. We investigated the sexual sequelae of several major classes of antihypertensive drugs (e.g., beta blockers, central alpha agonists, diuretics) in normal males and in hypertensive patients. We compared the effects of four widely used agents (methyldopa, propranolol, atenolol, hydrochlorothiazide-triamterene) and placebo, in a selected sample of 21 sexually dysfunctional male hypertensives, 13 of whom completed all five phases of the study. Each study drug was administered for a 1-month treatment period, followed by a 2-week, single-blind washout phase, according to a randomized, Latin square crossover design. Dependent variables for the study included a broad range of hormonal, NPT, and self-report measures of sexual response. Results indicated a lack of consistent drug effects on measures of sexual response, although more frequent sexual and nonsexual side effects were observed with methyldopa and propranolol. As in our previous studies, age was negatively correlated with both hormonal and NPT measures, whereas changes in blood pressure were not significantly related to sexual function scores. Results do not support the hypothesis that sexually dysfunctional males are at greater risk for adverse sexual sequelae when treated with centrally active agents or diuretics.     

谷物粉尘对呼吸道的急性作用

本文观察了粮谷加工业工人上班一天和一周后的症状和肺功能变化。结果发现谷仓工人中重度接尘组的呼吸道症状发生率非常显著地高于轻度接尘组(P<0.005)。谷仓工人的通气功能和小气道功能均较对照组差(P<0.05或0.01);而且上班一天或一周后的肺功能各项指标异常降低率间差异显著或非常显著(P<0.05或0.01)。     

Are chronic wheezing and asthma-like attacks related to FEV1 decline? The Cracow study

Analysis is presented of the relationship between decline in ventilatory function and possible symptoms of bronchial hypereactivity. Data comes from three consecutive surveys within a 13-year follow-up study of a population sample of 1747 persons (718 males and 1029 females) who completed spirometric testing and interviews. Chest symptoms recorded in the two initial surveys were used as baselines for the prognostic study on FEV₁ change. To evaluate changes in lung function the FEV₁ decline index, expressed as percentage of FEV₁ loss during the study period, was calculated. Chronic wheezing and asthma-like attacks were very strongly related to FEV₁ baseline level. Multiple linear regression analysis for each separate symptom including age and smoking habits as confounders and showed that the FEV₁ decline index was higher and more significant when wheezing and asthma-like attacks or chronic cough were present. When the combination of symptoms were introduced into the regression model, the effect of wheezing became insignificant. Only attacks of shortness of breath in both sexes and chronic cough in women were significantly associated with more rapid FEV₁ decline. However, the effect of persistent wheezing in men had a rather substantial impact on FEV₁ change. Comparing the effect of the number of cigarettes smoked with the effect of symptoms, one can see that FEV₁ decline due to attacks of shortness of breath is comparable to that seen with heavy smoking. There was no strong evidence that the symptoms under study precede the more rapid FEV₁ decline.