The clinico-echocardiographic characteristics of heart involvement in seronegative spondylarthritis (Reiter's disease, Bechterew's disease and psoriatic arthritis)

As many as 136 patients (76 with Bechterew's disease, 40 with Reiter's disease and 20 with psoriatic arthritic) and 35 practically healthy persons were examined by echocardiography combined with electro-, phonocardiographic and by clinical, x-ray and laboratory methods. 62 patients were examined over time (within a period from 1 to 4 years). Echocardiography was used to study in detail the central and intracardiac hemodynamics, the status of the valvular apparatus of the heart and of the aorta. The different clinical characteristics of the disease were established to make a concrete contribution to the development of cardial pathology. The disease duration is the most significant characteristics. A long-term prospective follow-up coupled with echocardiographic examinations made over time enabled one to specify the structure of heart damage in patients suffering from Bechterew's disease, Reiter's disease and psoriatic arthritis depending on the hypothetic nature of the damage.     

Neuroimaging in Pineal Tumors

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The authors report radiological findings in 11 tumors in the pineal region, which were histologically diagnosed as germinomas, pineocytomas pineoblastomas, ependymomas, teratomas, and astrocytomas. METHODS: Computed tomography (CT) was performed in seven patients and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed in all patients. RESULTS: CT showed a solid or solid/cystic mass with variable contrast enhancement. MRI showed a heterogeneous mass, with hypointense signal on T1 and iso/hyperintense signal on T2-weighted images (WI) and gadolinium enhancement. Extension to adjacent structures occurred in five patients and spread through the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) in two. CONCLUSIONS: Pineal region tumors have no pathognomonic imaging pattern. MRI and CT are complementary in diagnosis and are important to determine localization, extension, and meningeal spread.     

Chromosomal imbalances in clear cell ependymomas.

Clear cell ependymoma is a rare and diagnostically challenging subtype of ependymoma, whose genetic features are essentially unknown. We studied 13 clear cell ependymomas (five cases WHO grade II, eight cases WHO grade III) by comparative genomic hybridization (CGH). Chromosomal imbalances were found in 12/13 cases. The most common aberrations overall were +1q (38%), -9 (77%), -3 (31%), and -22q (23%). Clear cell ependymomas of WHO grade II were characterized by -9 (40%), whereas WHO grade III cases mainly showed +1q (63%), and +13q (25%), as well as -9 (100%), -3 (38%), and -22q (25%). In contrast to other ependymal tumors, clear cell ependymomas of WHO grade II showed fewer imbalances than WHO grade III samples (1.4 vs 3.5 per case). Although some of the implicated chromosomes have previously been shown to be involved in other ependymoma variants, the striking frequency of +1q, -9, and -3 suggests that aberrations differ between clear cell and other types of ependymomas, in particular, for loss of chromosome 9 which can be regarded as the molecular hallmark of clear cell ependymomas.     

Status of studying the reproductive function of women--passenger train engineers]

Analysis of medico-demographic indices of 3450 women--conductors of passenger long-distance trains give evidence of the presence of changes in the status of the reproductive function. Birth indices are low, in spite of favourable marriage levels. Childlessness levels in women working on trains are 5-6 times higher compared to the average values in the country. Unfavourable tendencies are observed in women of any age, however, they are more profoundly marked in older women who have been handling maximal contact with harmful occupational factors during many years of work. Significant relationships have not been observed between birth level and such parameters as nationality, place of living, educational level etc.     

Is the outcome of in-vitro fertilization and embryo transfer treatment improved by spontaneous or surgical drainage of a hydrosalpinx?

A pilot study was designed to examine whether the outcome of embryo transfer in women with a hydrosalpinx might be improved by surgical drainage of the hydrosalpinx at the time of oocyte collection for in- vitro fertilization treatment. A comparative, controlled but retrospective analysis of the results was performed of all women with infective tubal damage aged <40 years old, who had ovulatory cycles, a normal uterus and a partner with normal spermatozoa. A standardized treatment regimen was used. A maximum of three embryos were transferred. Hydrosalpinx was defined by prior hysterosalpingography and/or laparoscopy with transcervical dye injection. A total of 237 embryo transfer cycles in women with hydrosalpinges (tubal distension not visible in 151, visible but not drained in 30 and drained in 56) were compared with 705 embryo transfer cycles in women with tubal disease but no hydrosalpinx. Results were analysed in the first three cycles but also separately in the first cycle to check for bias. Success rates were higher in the first cycle, but did not significantly influence overall differences. Implantation rates were significantly reduced overall in the hydrosalpinx group (8.0 versus 13.2% for controls; P < 0.001), being 8.3% (P < 0.01) in the subgroup without evident tubal distension and 7.5% (not significant) in the drained hydrosalpinx group. This study shows that tubal damage with distal occlusion is associated with a marked reduction in embryo implantation, even in the absence of obvious fluid distension. Surgical drainage of distended hydrosalpinges appears to offer no benefit.      

Identification of a latent state arising in the hippocampus following the cessation of long-term potentiation

The possibility of the restoration of long-term potentiation in the CA1 region and the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus during stimulation respectively of the dorsal raphé nuclei and locus coeruleus, with stimulus parameters inducing behavioral reactions, was investigated in freely-behaving rats. It was demonstrated that stimulation of the locus coeruleus, which was ineffective prior to the tetanization of the perforant path, led to the restoration of extinguished long-term posttetanic potentiation in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus induced by tetanization of the perforant path. Stimulation of the dorsal raphé nucleus, which was ineffective prior to the tetanization of the Schaffer collaterals, led to the restoration of long-term posttetanic potentiation in the CA1 region of the hippocampus induced by tetanization of the Schaffer collaterals. A mathematical model is proposed which has made it possible to describe the restoration of long-term posttetanic potentiation on the basis of the notion of the existence of several states of calcium/calmodulin-dependant protein kinase. The restoration of long-term potentiation during stimulation of emotiogenic zones was examined as a model of the phenomenon of emotional reminding. Translated from Zhurnal Vysshei Nervnoi Deyatel'nosti imeni I.P. Pavlova, Vol. 43, No. 4, pp. 770–777, July–August, 1993.     

住院精神分裂症患者十年前后用药情况对比分析

目的对十年前后精神分裂症患者用药情况的变化进行调查分析.方法对十年前后两个五年段的各500份符合精神分裂症诊断标准的病历进行回顾性调查,并对各项指标进行对比分析.结果两组折算用药剂量经t检验差异无显著性(P>0.05);两组合并用药、合并抗胆碱药及疗效经χ2检验差异有显著性(P<0.01);十年后非典型抗精神病药物氯氮平在临床上的应用比例明显增大并上升为首位.结论十年前后两组抗精神病药的应用发生了明显变化,疗效好、副作用轻的非典型抗精神病药的应用比例明显增加.     

Molecular stratification of diagnostically challenging high-grade gliomas composed of small cells: the utility of fluorescence in situ hybridization.

PURPOSE: There is considerable morphologic overlap between various entities of high-grade gliomas, and, therefore, a further planning of their optimal treatment is a controversial issue. The aim of this study was molecular stratification of morphologically ambiguous high-grade gliomas composed from small cells. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with commercially available probes was used for this purpose. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: We analyzed a set of 114 high-grade small-cell gliomas that were difficult to interpret diagnostically because of their distinct cytological origin. FISH assay with locus probes for EGFR, p16, PTEN, and 1p and 19q was done. RESULTS: Morphologically uniform high-grade gliomas composed of small cells varied greatly in terms of molecular features and clinical outcome. Four clinically relevant subsets of patients whose tumors showed distinctly different molecular profiles were identified as follows: (a) 13 patients whose tumors exhibited no discernable molecular alterations (5-year survival rate, 83%); (b) 20 patients whose tumors harbored either 1p/19q codeletion or isolated deletion of 19q unaccompanied by other molecular abnormalities (5-year survival rate, 59%); (c) 35 patients whose tumors showed p16 and/or PTEN deletions unaccompanied by EGFR amplification (5-year survival rate, 8%); and (d) 46 patients whose tumors harbored EGFR amplification (5-year survival rate, 0). CONCLUSIONS: The FISH method provides clinically useful information in the molecular analysis of morphologically ambiguous malignant small-cell gliomas that could potentially enhance the quality of patient care.