NT-proBNP reflects right ventricular structure and function in pulmonary hypertension.

The aim of the current study was to investigate whether alterations in N-terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) reflect changes in right ventricular structure and function in pulmonary hypertension patients during treatment. The study consisted of 30 pulmonary hypertension patients; 15 newly diagnosed and 15 on long-term treatment. NT-proBNP, right heart catheterisation and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging measurements were performed, at baseline and follow-up. There were no significant differences between newly diagnosed patients and those on treatment at baseline or follow-up with respect to NT-proBNP, haemodynamics and right ventricular parameters. Relative changes in NT-proBNP during treatment were correlated to the relative changes in right ventricular end-diastolic volume index (r = 0.59), right ventricular mass index (r = 0.62) and right ventricular ejection fraction (r = -0.81). N-terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide measurements reflect changes in magnetic resonance imaging-measured right ventricular structure and function in pulmonary hypertension patients. An increase in N-terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide over time reflects right ventricular dilatation concomitant to hypertrophy and deterioration of systolic function.     

Immunocryosurgery for basal cell carcinoma: results of a pilot, prospective, open-label study of cryosurgery during continued imiquimod application

Background/aim  Theoretical considerations support the combination of cryosurgery and topical imiquimod to treat basal cell carcinomas (BCC). The aim of the present study was to test the feasibility and efficacy of 'cryosurgery during continued imiquimod application' ('immunocryosurgery') to treat 'high-risk-for-recurrence' BCCs.
Methods  Thirteen patients with 21 biopsy-proven tumours (4 of 21 relapses after prior surgery) were included. After 2–5 weeks (median, 3) of daily 5% imiquimod cream application, the tumours were treated by liquid N₂ cryosurgery (spray, two cycles, 10–20 s) and imiquimod was continued for additional 2–12 weeks (median, 4). The outcome after at least 18 months of follow-up (18–24 months) is currently reported.
Results  Nineteen of 21 tumours responded promptly to immunocryosurgery; two tumours required additional treatment cycles to clear. Thus, the clinical clearance rate was 100%. Only 1 of 21(5%) tumour relapsed after at least 18 months of follow-up (cumulative efficacy: 95%).
Conclusions  'Immunocryosurgery' is a promising non-surgical combination modality to treat 'high-risk-for-recurrence BCCs'. Initial evidence is suggestive of an at least additive effect of the two combined modalities. Further studies comparing immunocryosurgery directly with cryosurgery and imiquimod monotherapies will confirm the reported results.     

Working‐correlation‐structure identification in generalized estimating equations

Selecting an appropriate working correlation structure is pertinent to clustered data analysis using generalized estimating equations (GEE) because an inappropriate choice will lead to inefficient parameter estimation. We investigate the well‐known criterion of QIC for selecting a working correlation structure, and have found that performance of the QIC is deteriorated by a term that is theoretically independent of the correlation structures but has to be estimated with an error. This leads us to propose a correlation information criterion (CIC) that substantially improves the QIC performance. Extensive simulation studies indicate that the CIC has remarkable improvement in selecting the correct correlation structures. We also illustrate our findings using a data set from the Madras Longitudinal Schizophrenia Study. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Immunogenicity of four Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate vaccines in 17- to 19-month-old children

OBJECTIVE: To compare the immunogenicity of four Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) conjugate vaccines in different populations of 17- to 19-month-old children in the United States. DESIGN: Four immunogenicity trials with sera were assayed in one laboratory. Trials 1 and 2 each compared one vaccine in two regions, and trials 3 and 4 were randomized comparisons of multiple vaccines within a region. SUBJECTS: A convenience sample of 313 healthy children recruited from pediatric practices in Minneapolis, Minn., Dallas and Houston, Tex., and Sellersville, Pa. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Children with prevaccination antibody greater than 0.15 microgram/ml showed higher antibody responses to vaccination than children with less than or equal to 0.15 microgram/ml (p less than 0.001). Among the former, there were no significant differences in antibody response to vaccination with the different conjugates within any of the trials. Among children with less than or equal to 0.15 microgram/ml of antibody before vaccination, there were no significant differences in the geometric mean antibody responses of children in trial 1 vaccinated with polyribosylribitol phosphate-diphtheria toxoid (PRP-D) in Dallas or in Minneapolis, or of children in trial 3 in Dallas randomly assigned to receive Hib oligosaccharide-CRM197 (HbOC) or PRP-D. In contrast, in trial 2, children given PRP-tetanus toxoid (PRP-T) in Pennsylvania had a significantly higher geometric mean antibody response than children given PRP-T in Houston (13.5 vs 3.0 micrograms/ml; p = 0.005). In trial 4 in Minneapolis, the geometric mean antibody response was highest in children randomly assigned to receive PRP-outer membrane protein (OMP) (9.3 micrograms/ml), followed by PRP-D (5.0 micrograms/ml) and HbOC (2.3 micrograms/ml) (PRP-OMP vs HbOC; p = 0.005). In all four trials, IgG1 responses predominated compared with IgG2 responses. CONCLUSIONS: All four conjugate vaccines are immunogenic in children 17 to 19 months of age. However, the magnitude of the anticapsular antibody response varied by vaccine type, the level of antibody in prevaccination sera, and geographic location.     

口溃液治疗复发性口腔溃疡208例疗效观察

口溃液主要成分为三氯化铁。本品经对２０８例复发性口腔溃疡患者的临床疗效观察，总有效率为９７．１％，并具有显效迅速，作用持久、涂抹方便等优点。     

硝基化合物还原、氢化的研究 Ⅳ.用Fe~(3+)催化转移氢化3,3′-二硝基-4,4′-二氨基二苯醚

以Fe~(3+)代替Pd-C和Raney Ni为催化剂、水合肼为供氢体、3,3′-二硝基-4,4′-二氨基二苯醚为受氢体、甲醇为溶剂,进行催化转移氢化反应,产物3,3′,4,4′-四氨基二苯醚(TADPO)质量好,得率可达80%。此外,还对反应温度、时间、以及水合肼、催化剂、溶剂用量,水合肼浓度、催化剂重复使用等影响因素进行了研究,获得了较佳工艺条件。本法制得的TADPO与均苯四甲酸二酐缩聚可制得性能良好的聚眯唑吡咙。     

长沙地区孕妇CMV感染状况及其临床追踪观察

研究了７７例长沙地区孕、产妇的宫颈排毒（ＣＭＶ）情况及母、婴的免疫状态，并对宫颈排毒及ＣＭＶ一ＩｇＭ阳性的母亲所生小孩进行临床追踪。结果显示：孕妇宫颈排毒率为４．５％，抗ＣＭＶ－ＩｇＧ和抗ＣＭＶ－ＩｇＭ阳性率分别为７７％和１３％，５９例脐血ＣＭＶ－ＩｇＭ阴性。宫颈排毒的３例其抗体检测抗ＣＭＶ－ＩｇＧ均阳性，抗ＣＭＶ－ＩｇＭ仅一例阳性。作者认为，对妊娠期活动性ＣＭＶ感染的诊断，仅检测抗ＣＭＶ－ＩｇＧ和抗ＣＭＶ－ＩｇＭ抗体滴度仍不足，尚须结合病毒分离和其它检测手段。     

类风湿性关节炎的肺部表现

本文对30例类风湿性关节炎患者中合并肺部损害的6例患者进行报道。其肺部的主要临床表现为胸痛、咳嗽、气短、长期低热及呼吸困难。体征主要为肺部干湿性罗音及胸膜摩擦音。胸部X线检查可见胸腔积液、胸膜肥厚粘连，弥漫性间质性肺纤维化、间质性肺炎。实验室检查可有嗜酸性粒细胞增高、类风湿因子阳性、血沉增快、免疫球蛋白增高等。本文并对类风湿性关节炎合并肺部病变的发生机理进行了初步探讨。